“I still say we should call the police Mother!” Jonathan lowered his voice at the end and looked around worriedly. The two of them were hiding under the dinning table from that obviously insane woman that had gone after his sister. He wasn’t that worried about Samantha, she was obviously a disappointment to the family, so it wouldn’t be that horrible if something happened to her. He was worried about saving his own skin though. After all, he was the firstborn son of the family.
Without waiting for an answer from his mother and without really caring where his father was, Jonathan made a break for the phone that was in the hallway near the front door. Certainly the police could sort this all out. Actually if he played his cards right maybe he could be seen as some sort of hero for calling them!
It was a quiet noise, barely heard above the storm outside. A tentative wrapping of knuckles on solid wood.
Jonathan paused, handheld unit in one hand and ignoring his mother's repeated calls for him to return to the dining room, he moved to the window next to the door and peered out. Trying to see who or what was causing that noise. Maybe the police were already here?
She looked skinny and blonde, vapid like any other Paris Hilton wannabe, and her wet clothes were nearly see through due to the rain.
She was huddled under the over hang of the massive front door looking scared and vulnerable.
"Nice.” Jonathan whispered, forgetting the phone in his hand as he hurried to open the door. Scared and vulnerable looking, exactly how he enjoyed his women, and young, even better! "Hi.” He flashed his best, big brother trust me, smile at the young woman. His eyes taking in the way her wet clothes clung to her body.
"Oh... um, hi. My car... I sort of lost control a street over and well, I've been trying house after house I need to call Triple A I think.” She looked at him her eyes wide and brown, looking very innocent.
Ignoring the increasingly urgent calls from his mother, Jonathan flashed a wide comforting smile. "You've come to the right place. Why don't you just come in and make your call? I'll make sure you're kept comfortable. Maybe get you out of those wet clothes?"
She giggled, "And here I was worried I'd find some old creepy guy.” She took his arm. "Thank you so much for inviting me in, you really are a gentleman.” As the doe eyed young girl crossed the doorway her eyes flashed red with fire.
On the ceiling unseen by any human eye the wards flashed once in warning and then burned away.
################################
"I have to do what?" Emily screeched, staring at Shaggy from the other side of the circle of salt, holding a lit candle in each hand. He looked uncomfortable and pointed defensively at the computer screen. "It says it right here. You have to be naked in the circle to bring the demon to you and send it back to hell.”
"There is no way I'm getting naked in front of you two.” The Goth girl was positive of that, even when the kitchen lights flickered and then went out.
"No, it says right here...” His laptop went dark, dying as the power went out. "No, no, nonono.” His eyes wide he stared at the dead screen. "This can't be happening.
Jahor frowned. "I don't think this is a good thing.”
"Umm... wasn't that on battery power?" Emily looked around a little nervously, that was more than just the power in the house going off.
Shaggy nodded in the dark, not that anybody could see. "Yeah, the battery should have kicked on.”
“I think somebody needs to go check the circuit breaker.” Emily suggested cheerfully in the dark.
The two guys were silent trying not to get voted out of the kitchen.
The dark haired woman rolled her eyes, tossing her head to get a stray dreadlock out of her face. "Fine you two cowards, go together. I'll stay here and tell you when the computer comes back on. I'm safe if I'm in the circle of salt right?"
Shaggy nodded then realized Emily couldn't see him. "Once inside close the circle and then that should keep you safe, however we never anointed the ground with holy water so I'm not certain.”
“I’ll be fine; just don’t be gone long ok?”
The two guys slowly left the kitchen after pausing at the door for a moment trying to maneuver so they didn't have to be first. Finally Jahor just pushed Shaggy through the door.
###########################
Upstairs, Carson snarled and bit hard on Samantha's lip drawing a small amount of blood. She immediately realized what she had done and drew back. "Ah, shit Sam. Sorry. There's something wrong....” The lights flickered and went out.
"Owe!" Samantha jerked back, pressing a hand to her now bleeding lip, and grimacing. They'd been having a lot of fun and she supposed it was destined not to last, considering their track record. "What is it? What's happening?" It was hard to stay focused considering that she'd managed to get Carson's shirt off and had been working on the other woman's bra.
In the dark of Samantha's bedroom, it was silent for a moment the sounds of there quickened breathing the only noise. Then Carson gave an evil chuckle that was broken off by the sound of the woman talking to herself. "Stop it! Stop it.” She struggled with the ropes, red marks and raw flesh developing under the places where the roped cut against skin. "It’s in the house.” Carson whispered desperately. "Someone invited her in.”
"What?" Alarmed eyes widened then with a curse, Samantha got off of Carson and started to hurriedly button up her shirt and the top of her pants. She'd been hoping that the demon would be kept outside all this time. "Jonathan,” She growled. It had to be her brother, the stupid idiot.
Carson was so scared, fear pooled in her belly making her shake. In her head a voice whispered and pleaded, dark and seductive, to remember her promise to always belong with the demon. That dark part of her wanted out, to be set loose upon everything, and it would start with Sam, so the controlled woman could have a vague taste of her pain.
She shook her head sweat trickled down her temple. "They need to hurry Sam, I don't... I'm such a weak person.”
"You’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest people I know, Carson. Who else would have been capable of dragging our asses through a zombie infested town?" Samantha was torn between going downstairs and making sure everyone was going as fast as they could and staying here with Carson.
"What are those idiots doing? I swear if Shaggy's watching porn or something I’m going to kill him.”
Carson smiled and then laughed. "If he is watching porn tell me if it has guys or girls, Emily and I have a bet going.”
The Asian woman came closer, gripping the laughing woman's shoulder until she could meet eyes that were starting to change color again. "Carson.” She waited until she had her attention "I'm going to go see what's going on with them, give them a kick in the ass to get them to hurry up. You have to stay here, stay yourself. Do not give in. Got it?" that sounded like an order.
"I have an overwhelming urge to salute, but I got it,” Carson said, "Now go play the hero and save me.”
She trailed a fingertip down the tied up woman's cleavage, grinning at the shiver she got. "Don't forget this; we're going to pick this up again later.” This was entirely unfair; they'd been getting to some good parts. Samantha found her anger growing at the idiots downstairs.
Carson gave a loud lusty moan for kicks. "Hurry up and kick some ass so we can get to the good parts.” She was okay not being the hero, she didn't mind flipping roles, she was flexible about that. It was when one played the oak tree and refused to bend in the wind, and some other metaphorical shit, that they broke. Sure the demon had offered her forever if she gave her heart, but Sam offered her pleasure, and at heart she was a hedonist and pleasure would always win out. Unfortunately for the demon, she had given her heart away to Sam the first time the woman had chewed her out in the library, so she couldn't give the demon something that wasn't hers to give.
"Don't go anywhere.” Samantha grinned at her, grabbing a flashlight from the bedside and closing the door after her, making sure it was closed before going down the servant’s stairs towards the kitchen.
#####################################
"So what's your name?" Jonathan leaned casually against the wall, smiling his best charming smile as he handed the girl the portable phone. This night was looking better and better.
"Levantra,” she said and gave a girlish squeal as the lights flickered and then went out plunging the house in darkness. "Oh my,” she breathed against the flesh of his neck.
This was entirely too easy, Jonathan thought, helpfully wrapping his arms around the frightened teen. "Don't worry; it's just the storm,” he said, with a trace of cockiness. "I'll get some candles.” There was a thud and another call of his name from the other room as his mother hit something, probably the edge of the table. He rolled his eyes. "Don't mind her.”
She pulled away from him, "How can I ever thank you for helping me out in my time of need?” Feminine hands trailed up his chest giving a fair indication of what she had in mind.
His hands slipped lower, cupping her ass as he showed that he was exactly on the same page as she was. "Well I have a few suggestions....”
Her eyes picked up everything in the dark room, she could see the pulse jump in his neck as he grew excited, and she simpered and cooed encouraging him on. She shoved him back into a chair nearly toppling both over. She flicked a finger and the arms of the chair bowed inwards lock him tightly in place.
"So like my Carson, living your life solely for the pursuit of pleasure. You two have a lot in common. You both enjoy female flesh, although she worships in it and you sully it, you take and never give. Is it your mother that causes this deep seated hatred or maybe your sister because you know she's better than you?”
She circled the chair.
"Yes, Jonathon, the mighty failure. So lacking, that you can only get a girl to spend the night if you've put a little something extra in her drink.”
"What the fuck!?" He yelled, tugging on the chair arms, eyes bulging as he felt them actually move to hold him prisoner.
"Jonathan? What's wrong?" his mother moved slowly through the darkened dinning room towards the sound.
She slid around his chair circling. She bent down and spoke in his ear her breath smelled of rotted corpse flesh. "You've never actually had a woman, just a few pity fucks. I'd say your sister is far better with the ladies, leaving you a distant second. Jonathon the date rapist. Jonathon the cheater, envy eats you up that those around you look on you with either pity or distain.” The demon circled facing him and fish belly white, scaly thighs parted and draped over his legs, as she sat on him.
In a flash of lightning he saw what stood before him and screamed in fear as he saw her.
His mother let out a soft gasp from just inside the dinning room, followed by a thud as the matriarch of the family fainted.
"What the fuck are you?" Jonathan yelled, struggling against the chair.
"The thing you let in. You opened the door Jonny and invited me in, just like you've been doing your whole life. If you leave the door open evil just invites itself in.” She laughed and moved suggestively against him. "What's wrong don't you want to fuck anymore.”
"AH! Get away from me!" He struggled harder, only succeeding in toppling over his chair, still screaming.
The demon laughed, a sound not meant to be heard by human ears and shoved her cold tongue into his mouth.
###################################
Emily stood wide-eyed in the darkened kitchen; she had lit a few candles, but had just made the room seem spookier. She jumped at some noise and then jumped again as someone screamed.
An older Asian man came to a stop at the doorway to the kitchen, frowning as he spotted the woman surrounded by lit candles. "Excuse me, who are you?" He was carrying a shotgun and wore an obviously expensive business suite, complete with matching tie and spectacles. The Asian man wore his profession of doctor like a sign around his neck.
"Ahhhhh... oh my god!" Emily jumped in the circle and turned. "Who am I? I'm the one fighting this demon menace. Who are you?"
"Demon menace?" The man frowned, considering her words. "You must be one of my daughter's friends.” He didn't sound too particularly thrilled by that prospect. "You're name isn't Heather is it?"
"No it’s Emily.” Understanding dawned on the Goth, "are you Sam's dad?"
"Dr. Sakamoto,” he replied, looking relieved that her name wasn't Heather. He looked towards the dinning room, where the sound of Jonathan's scream had come from. "The demon is inside the house?"
"I'm not certain. But we think there's a good chance it is.” She bit her lip, in worry. "It could just be the storm.”
Those intelligent black eyes swung back towards Emily and the good doctor frowned as if suddenly remembering something. "Wait, Emily? Is your name Emily Johnston?"
Emily's expression became very guarded. "Are you the demon in disguise?"
"Don't be ridiculous.” He made a motion as if brushing away that comment, and peered closer at what she was standing next to. "You're going to try to banish the demon then.” It wasn't a question. "Candles, salt... hmmm... you'll need holy water.” He turned and started to walk back the way he'd come.
This perked her up. "Yes, we do. Do you have some?" Unthinking she left the circle, she paused but when he didn't turn into a hideous monster figured she was safe enough.
He shook his head. "Raising demons and you don't even carry around holy water, shameful.”
"In theory I was at a demon raising, but...” She trailed off, concentrating really hard on that night. "I don't remember it.”
"Meddling with things you don't understand. You're worse than my son.” He unlocked the door to his office and stepped inside, the room unlike the rest of the house was lit by a large camping light. "What a disappointment that boy has become.” He went to one of the bookcases and started to swing it out away from the wall on hidden hinges.
"Whoa, whoa. Look if you're having family issues see a therapist, they get paid big bucks to do that sort of thing. Me, I just want your holy water.” She frowned. "That sounded petulant didn't it, but it was true. I hate it when things get ultra weird like this. Zombies, demons, next thing you know peace will break out in the Middle East.”
He gave her a dark look at that, like a teacher scolding a particularly slow-witted student. "Here.” He pulled out a heavy silver flask that was inscribed with a cross. "Holy water.” He offered it to her.
She rolled her eyes but took the flask.
"The file was right; you do have problems with authority.” He pocketed a few more shells for his shotgun then shoved the bookcase shut.
"File? What are you some creepy stalker type. Look I have a problem with authority who hasn't done a dame thing to earn my respect, that's the problem with a lot of people just because they're older or in positions of power they think they deserve my respect. Well ha on that.”
"Says the young lady who is currently being hunted by a demon that she doesn't even remember raising.” He went around his desk to fetch a cross from one of the drawers. "It is possible that others have more knowledge of what is going on than you do, Ms. Johnston.”
"Well then why aren't they here trying to fix the problem? Oh let me guess they're sitting in meetings debating the best course of action, wasting tax payer’s money and letting more people die.”
"I'm here,” he answered dryly, although it was obvious he would rather not be. "Shall we?" He motioned towards the door.
"Yeah, but it took you long enough to know that something was wrong,” she muttered then started towards the door.
##################################
Carson was thrashing in the dark on the bed, the skin on her wrists was raw and bleeding, but she didn’t care, she wanted lose, wanted out of here. She froze as she heard a floorboard creak under the weight of a foot.
“Sam?” she asked hopefully.
“Not quite, but somebody who equally shares your heart.”
“Ah Fuck!” Carson huffed and started to struggle harder.
“Tsk, tsk, leading a girl on like that, making her think she’s got a special place in your heart when you’ve already gone and given it to another.”
The footsteps got closer sounding ominous in the dark. “Can you hear them screaming? All your friends.” The words were whispered into her ear the breath cold and heavy like a graveyard. And she could hear them, her friends, crying in misery and pain. “And it’s your fault, you brought me here, lead me right to them. It’s almost as if you wanted me to destroy them.”
“Shut up!” Carson cried out, “You’re a fucking liar… you’re twisting everything. You brought yourself here, not me.” Tears streaked down her face hidden in the dark.
“Shhh, shhhh now. I promised you forever, I would stand by you forever if you would be mine, but you broke your end of the deal. To bad,” The demon shrugged and leaned in closer. “It’s more fun when you bring about your own downfall, but I’m running out of time and I really want you to suffer for breaking your promise. You’re demon marked now, a black smudge on your soul, that won’t ever wipe clean. So stay here tied to your lover’s bed, but she won’t ever come back for you. They’re all going to die and you’ll be trapped here unable to help.”
A clawed hand trailed over her face and chest stroking against flesh exposed by her unbuttoned shirt. “One by one I’ll snuff out their screams and leave you, alone, in the dark, with silence as your only companion. You’re biggest fear. Fitting I think.”
“Wait no, comeback, I’ll do anything you want just let them live,” she begged. “Please.”
The demon paused. “You’re the lucky fool type Carson. You may be weak and amoral but when the chips are down you have the amazing ability to come through, so no Carson, we are finished.”
She frantically pulled at the ties that bound her, trying to get loose as the footsteps retreated and the door shut.
##################################
Jahor paused and whispered. "Hey, did you hear someone shouting?"
Shaggy hit him on the shoulder. "Stop that. I'm paranoid enough as it is. Just shut up and find the panel.” They were in the basement of the house and like most basements this one was entirely too spooky to be in right now.
"Maybe we should have looked for somebody who lives here and asked where the circuit breaker panel was.” He suggested as they slowly made their way down the stairs. "Or brought a flashlight or a candle”
"Did you really want to meet Samantha's mom or dad? She has to get that bitchy attitude from at least one of them.” A brighter flash of light from the basement windows and a nearly instantaneous clap of thunder made the young man nearly jump onto Jahor's back.
"Are you hitting on me?" Jahor said with a chuckle and continued down the steps.
Shaggy hit him again, this time harder in the back. "Shut up! Let's just find the circuit breaker.” He paused. "I knew I should have brought that portable generator I was tinkering with yesterday.”
Jay shuddered, "Only if it’s already blown up at least twice.” Jay ran out of steps and turned right scanning the shelves for a flashlight or for something that looked circuit breaker shaped in the flickering dark.
"Hey, not all of my inventions blow up!" He paused. "It only blew up once,” he muttered. A can went tumbling across the basement floor as Shaggy kicked it by accident. They both instinctively froze then relaxed as nothing happened afterwards. "Clothing with glow sticks sewn into it!" he suddenly exclaimed, having another idea for an invention.
Jay rolled his eyes. "Only if you are one of those little raver kids at those techno dance parties.”
The Pakistani man grinned in triumph. "Found it.” He opened the metal lid and slid his hands over the switches, his grin turning into a frown. "That's odd.”
"What?" Shaggy frowned in the dark. "Raver what?" They continued to slowly advance down the wall until Jahor found the box. “What’s wrong?”
"The switches are all on.” Jay whispered, as panic clawed its way up his throat.
"Shit,” the younger man whispered. "That's bad.”
He shook his head. "Now let’s not be silly. Could be power is just out in the neighborhood. That wouldn't necessarily trip the breakers.” He fumbled with the door and re-latched it.
"Jay, do you remember the Zombies? I don't believe in the easy answer after that.” There was something wrong again, he could tell. "I knew I should have brought the flame thrower.”
Jay winced at the mention of the combustible weapon. "I'm certain there won't be any need for a flame thrower. Besides, doesn’t most of your Christian mythos around demons say they live in fire and brimstone?" He turned around in the dark barely seeing the outline of the other man. They both flinched as brighter lightning and louder thunder sounded again, and the Pakistani man jumped, his elbow hitting a shelf and causing something to tumble onto the floor. He grinned. It looked vaguely flashlight shaped. Crouched down he began to fumble his hands around after the flashlight that was rolling away.
“Hey! Watch where you’re grabbing there!” Shaggy backed away from the wildly flailing man, grimacing as he stepped into something a little sticky. “Eww… did you wet yourself?”
Jay stood up quickly his head connecting solidly with Shaggy's. "Ow!" He howled in pain and held his head in his hands. "Jeez, and no, I did not wet myself, it was probably you, you big old geek.” He glared in the direction he thought the other man was standing.
“Owe! Damn it Jay.” Shaggy jumped around, holding his head in both hands. “Hey, stop that, I’m okay, I don’t need you holding my hand!”
"What are you talking about? I'm over here, and I'm certainly not holding your hand. Nothing against Carson and Emily but I'm not into same-sex loving thing.” Jahor wasn't certain if the stress of the whole situation was getting to him but suddenly he was just angry. Angry at Emily and Carson for getting them into this situation, angry at Shaggy for being unable to make things right the first time, and at himself for being stupid enough to put himself in this situation. Things like this didn't exist in a normally rational world, and he desperately wanted his world rational and normal.
There was a moment of silence as Shaggy considered that and slowly turned his head towards the sound of Jay’s voice. “You’re over there?” That wasn’t good, not at all.
"Yes, I'm over here.” There was a slight tone of fear in Shaggy's voice that had Jahor back on his hands and knee's looking for that flashlight.
Making a sound that was remarkably like a whimper, the younger man reached up and touched the thing that was holding onto his shoulder. When his fingers felt something that wasn’t at all warm or even vaguely human feeling he shrieked and lunged away, tumbling over Jay as he searched for the flashlight.
As Shaggy scrambled over the top of him mowing him down he decided to fuck the flashlight, he was out of there, besides he really didn't want to see what made the other man scream like a little school girl and run. He ran wondering if there was another way out of the basement. Samantha's folks looked rich; surely they could afford another entry way in and out of the basement.
Still screaming like a girl, Shaggy slammed into a wall, flailed sideways and then stumbled onto what felt like another set of stairs. “Jay! Over here!” He ran up them, tripping and sliding all the way.
"What? Where are you?" He tried to follow the fading sounds of Shaggy's high-pitched scream.
"Jahor Vutukury, what are you doing in this place?" came the sharp, heavily accented sound of his mother's voice.
He stopped scrambling and stunned, turned towards the voice. "Mother?" She was standing there holding a flashlight. The light from it highlighted her face in deep shadows. "What? How?"
"I am a mother I know when my son's purity is at stake.”
"What? What are you...?” He blinked his brain shutting down in her overbearing presences.
"You hang out with those unclean people, heathens and whores. They fill your mind, dirtying it from proper thought.” A hand rose up and beckoned him over.
"They’re not unclean.” He flinched, thinking of Carson with her horns and clawed fingers as he slowly walked over to her.
She hugged him. "Its okay mother's here and we'll get you clean again.”
He felt his will weaken in the blistering presence of her, and he started to fold and bend just like he always did. "I'm not dirty,” he said weakly.
"Shhh, mother knows best.” She whispered before she grabbed his head. She was standing next to a larger industrial sink, which was in the corner next to the washer and dryer. The sink was over full, the water flowing over the sides and across the floor.
He blinked. "What are you...?”
In a flash his head was under the water, the demon just laughed and pulled him back out. "Such dirty thoughts in your head boy need to flush them out so I can eat them. They’re so tasty.”
Jahor gasped then icy wet coldness surrounded his head again. He's arms wind milled and panic clawed at his throat, as his fears of water and drowning seemed to come true.
"Jay?" Shaggy turned around halfway up the stairs to a door that he was pretty sure was going to lead them out of the basement. The moonlight through the windows of the door was the only source of light and he hesitated as he considered going back into that darkness for his friend.
Darkness was not something the inventor enjoyed. This was the last time he walked around without at least a glow stick! "Jay?" He started down the steps.
The demon smiled. So much fear and anger, simmering in all these people. It was absolutely delicious. She stopped for a moment hearing the tentative, scared voice and let go of the man's head. He slumped and fell to the floor. It was also amazing how many different issues, fears, and hang-ups these people all had that focused on women.
Smiling, the demon ran a hand down her body changing it from a short, chubby woman of Middle Eastern decent to a short, skinny, Goth girl with black dyed hair. With a sway in her hips she walked towards the stairs.
“E… Emily?” Scared eyes widened behind glasses that already made them look large. Shaggy stumbled backwards on the steps as she suddenly emerged from the darkness at the base of the stairs. “I... umm... thought you were upstairs?”
"What, and let you guys have all the fun? Hardly. Plus, I heard you screaming.” She smiled and moved closer, into Shaggy's personal space. Gently she touched his hair and face. "You okay?"
“Yeah.” He answered quickly, blinking and then trying to peer around her shoulder into the darkness beyond. “Did you see Jay? I think I heard him yelling.”
"No, didn't see him. He must have gone upstairs.” She took his hand in hers. “Why don't we go upstairs and take a look.” She tugged him back up the stairs.
“Oh, okay,” he answered as his brain fried at the touch of her hand. “You sure? You’re acting umm… different,” he stuttered.
"Maybe it’s the thunder and the lightening, but I'm wondering why I never noticed how handsome you were before,” she said finally as they made it to the top of the stairs. She leaned in closer, "Your glasses make you look very intelligent.” She breathed into his ear. Seeing she had gotten the appropriate responses from the right places she leaned in even closer kissing him.
#################################
Carson didn’t feel the blood running down her arm as she frantically tried to work her arm loose. She really did have nobody to blame but herself for this whole horrible night. She’d be lucky if anybody survived, and if they did, she’d be lucky if they ever spoke to her again.
“Psst. Hey.”
“Holy shit!” Carson barked out. “Whose there?”
“I didn’t even get to say ‘knock, knock’ yet?”
“What? Look, I really don’t have time for games. So either help me or get the fuck away from me, I’m busy.”
“Yeah, you’re always busy. A real exciting life you got, always rushing in to play the white knight, or psycho stalker ex.”
Carson frowned. The voice seemed kind of familiar.
“Goodness you’re slow.”
Carson frowned.
“Fine, I’m you.”
“What? You can’t be me, I’m me.”
“We’re not getting into the whole philosophy of Plato and the fire and the shadow people since you failed philosophy and only got a C ‘cause you seduced the teacher’s assistant. Wait that was me, but anyways.”
Carson felt a headache coming on. “A point to this and quickly.”
“You’re a very lucky woman you made a deal with a devil and lived.”
Carson have a hysterical laugh, “this isn’t what I would call living.”
“Shush. Let me get to my point. I’m you, well, I’m the darker you. The one who does the things we know we really shouldn’t. When you accepted that deal, she breathed hellfire into you, giving me more…. Hmmm, not sure they have a term for this, but I became more real. Like a split personality.”
“Ah, fuck, I’ve cracked,” Carson, sighed.
“Stop whining. You didn’t think you could make a deal with a devil and just get out of it unscathed. There’s more to it than fancy new clothes and healing of old wounds. She marked us, were tainted with hellfire and there will always be a black mark on us. Literally, when the lights come on go look in the mirror. Right over your heart will be a black mark, it won’t ever go away.”
“There is no us or we, just me. Split personality implies loony bin, I’m not going to one of those. Besides why are you telling me this, I would think you’d want to be, well, in control of the whole package.”
“Tempting, but you’re missing the point. Besides there will be times when I take control anyway, and there won’t be anything you can do about it. She left us here and since I’m you, I have the same fears and phobia’s about being alone in the dark, so I’m less than thrilled with little miss demon.”
“So what are we going to do about it? I’m a little out of the loop right now.”
“She took a little humanity from you and gave you a little taste of hell. Burn, baby, burn.”
“What?”
“Disco inferno, time. Burn the ropes like you did with the phone.”
“It can’t be that easy, and I’m a little afraid of the ramifications of being able to do that is.”
“Chicken.”
“Fuck you.”
“Burn, baby, burn.”
She felt ghostly hands on her chest and cheek then her skin tingled and the sensation was gone. She looked up in the dark to where the rope should be holding her hand to the bedpost and imagined it burning. The was a flash of light in the dark, and Carson grinned until she felt her skin get uncomfortably warm and then she yelped and pulled frantically until the rope gave way.
#################################
“What the hell are you doing?” Samantha’s high-pitched screech cut through the moment like a chainsaw and Shaggy jerked back from Emily’s welcome arms.
“Umm… kissing Emily?” Shaggy kept an arm around the Goth girl, just incase she decided to run.
In the flickering light of the two candles on the kitchen countertop he could clearly make out the expression of disgust on the Asian woman’s face. “That’s not Emily.”
The uber geek blinked and stared at the woman in his arms. "Wha… what do you mean this isn't Emily? Emily. Tell her it’s you?" His voice took on a pleading quality as fear began to mountain climb up his spine.
Emily's serene face, with her overly red ripe lips broke into a snarl and she turned out of Shaggy's arms and faced the other woman.
"Emily, I know you're not fond of Sam...antha but...”
"Shut up you fucking nerd. You think a real lady would find you attractive. Trust me; the real Emily isn't pining over your skinny, pasty, white ass,” the demon said with a growl.
“Hey!” Samantha frowned. “I’m the only one who insults him.” That settled it; the demon was so going down, she was the only one allowed to put that expression of fear and panic on their faces. “Aren’t you the big demon, scaring a geek and an uptight morgue attendant in a dark basement,” she sneered. “Please, Ronald McDonald could have done that.”
The demon's mouth opened and then shut completely phased by the fact the woman wasn't shaking in fear. Slowly the facade of Emily that she wore faded and stretched leaving white scaly flesh and hell fire filled eyes. Still the woman didn't even bat an eyelash. Snarling, the demon tried to feel the source of the Asian woman's greatest fear only to come up empty. "Impossible!" she roared making Shaggy cry out in fear and huddle in the nearest corner.
"You... you... everybody is afraid of something. Why can't I read you?” the demon sputtered in frustration.
“My greatest fear already came to pass you stupid bitch.” Samantha smiled as she said it, slowly stepping backwards and trying to lure the demon away from Shaggy’s side. “Carson went away and then she outted me to my family. I haven’t had time to come up with another greatest fear in the last half hour.” This had to be one of the stupidest things she’d even done. The former librarian was really hoping that Shaggy had a plan before the demon got pissed off enough to rip her heart out.
"You're the one who has the other part of Carson's heart. Poor Carson, you left her all alone in the dark, tied to the bed. Defenseless.” Her slitted nostrils flared as she felt the first tendrils of unease come off the woman. She would not let some flesh bag mortal get the best of her. She was a demon; she fed off of fear and misery. She'd been getting quite full from the first young man then Carson, the Pakistani, and now the geek in the corner. But then this buzz kill had to poke her nose in and popped her bubble of power.
“You’re just a bottom feeder. Gorging yourself off the basest emotions you can evoke in those around you. How’s it feel to know that your entire existence in this world is dictated by the fact that you must live off the leftovers of human emotions?” It was a struggle to avoid thinking about what could have happened to Carson and Samantha knew that if she let herself, she would do more than worry about what might have happened to the other woman. Instead she slowly took another step backwards.
Shaggy slowly came back to his senses, blinking owlishly behind his glasses and then making a gagging sound as he saw what he’d just been kissing. Where was the real Emily? The candles she’d been holding were on the kitchen countertop but there was no sign of her in the kitchen.
The demon snarled and started towards Samantha. "I'm going to rip that smug look right off your face and then I'm going to piss down your neck.” She howled in anger.
Samantha walked backwards towards the door hoping to make a break for it. Just as the demon got ready to pounce, the kitchen door burst open hitting Samantha and smashing her between the door and the wall as two figures burst in.
"Get away from my daughter!" a masculine voice shouted then was drowned out by the firing of a gun.
The demon's flesh ripped open as the bullets drove into its scaly hide.
Shaggy yelled in surprise and hit the ground, not at all wanting anything to do with flying bullets.
Dr. Sakamoto unloaded both barrels of the antique looking shotgun into the demon, staggering backwards from the recoil. “The circle young lady, get it into the circle,” he said to Emily, struggling to reload the shotgun.
The demon stood up, her flesh smoked and hissed, and greenish-black blood dripped onto the floor. "No!" she screeched. "I will not go back.” She lunged forward only to draw back as Emily flicked holy water at it.
Shaggy scrambled with the candles and the compass, frantically setting them up amidst the chaos erupting in the kitchen.
The demon lunged for the stairs down to the basement only to stop short as Jahor suddenly emerged into the kitchen, dripping wet and praying loudly in his native tongue: a prayer of protection against evil.
Holy water hit the white flesh and the demon cried out stepping backwards.
Squirming out from behind the door, Samantha grabbed the holy water from Emily’s hands and shoved her towards the circle of salt. “Jay, together!” She splashed water at the demon. Between his prayers and the water, they started to herd it towards the Goth woman. Behind her, she was vaguely awareness of her father unloading the shotgun shells from his gun and reloading it.
Writhing in agony the demon was slowly forced back into the circle of salt. Shaggy quickly sealed the circle and then looked hopefully over at Emily. "Start the ceremony Emily.” He told her urgently.
Emily held the cross and started reading the frantically written ceremony Shaggy had put together from information from the Internet. "Demon, spawn of the underworld, I command you back to hell. Your presence is no longer wanted here and by all things pure I command you....” She paused, she needed the demons name. She floundered.
"Can't remember dear, too busy trying to get up under some skirt,” the demon chuckled and stepped forward pushing on the barrier. "Without that I'm afraid you’re sunk and I can last forever, can you? Eventually you'll run out of bullets, water and voice.” She laughed an evil sound, one not meant to be heard by human ears. She stepped forward again and the circle of salt flared briefly and then a clawed hand reached out of the circle towards Emily.
The door opened behind Samantha, her father and Emily. Carson stood there bloody and bruised her eyes flashing a cold gray.
“Carson?” Samantha stared in surprise, not sure how the other woman could have gotten loose from the bonds that she’d tied. She really hoped it was Carson and not the possessed puppet standing there. The gray eyes worried her.
With a click, Dr. Sakamoto snapped shut the breach of the shotgun and raised it to his shoulder, aiming at the demon’s hand.
The demon's eyes widened in pleasure. "I see my little puppet’s back. Be a dear and get the shotgun for me.”
As Dr. Sakamoto turned in surprise, Carson merely shoved the barrel up and out of her face. She didn't really even feel the burn of the muzzle as the shotgun went off. Then she was stepping away from Samantha's dad, her eyes focused on the demon. "Hi, Levantra, ready to take a little trip?” She snarled then with a quick sprint she tackled the demon taking them both into the circle.
Emily quickly grasped what was being said. "By all things pure I command you, Levantra, back to the circle of hell that spawned you.” As the demon's name was spoken the circle was locked, trapping the demon and Carson inside.
As soon as the circle was sealed the lights flickered and then came back on, momentarily blinding everyone.
Unable to see, Emily fumbled and lost her place.
Carson grunted as she dodged a blow from the demon and backed up only to stop as her back cracked against the invisible barrier of the circle. Scaly hands locked around her throat lifting her up and she was smashed again and again against the barrier.
"Emily,” she croaked out. "Hurry up please.” There was a pop from her chest and she hoped it wasn't a rib.
Samantha was by her side, steadying the Goth girl and holding up the printed instructions. “Here.” She pointed at the spot where Emily had been reading. There was little love lost between each of them but they were both bound by their love for Carson and Emily nodded, taking a breath and starting to read again.
“By all things pure, I revoke that which summoned you here. I undo that which was cast and close the gate that I helped open.”
The demon paused feeling herself starting to loose form. "Stop it!" she shouted. "Stop or I'll crush her throat!" The demon snarled in warning. "I won't go back!"
Carson found herself flipped around and a fish belly white arm was locked securely around her throat. "What, you can't possibly be afraid of a few words? ‘Sticks and stones may break bones but names will never hurt me.’ Guess that adage doesn't hold so true for you.” Carson wheezed out.
"Shut up. I should have killed you once I realized you were the fool in this play. Fools survive and bring change, they say that which can't be said, and everyone loves the fool.” In frustration the demon shook Carson enjoying the sounds of her gagging.
Carson cried out in pain as a clawed fist smashed into her back. "That's it, Emily. You got her scared, keep it up.”
“Faster, Emily, go faster,” Samantha urged. It was hard to resist the urge to cross into the circle and try to save Carson. There was nothing they could do until the demon was gone.
Grimly the Goth girl kept reading, her eyes focused on the page in front of her, trying to avoid looking at anything else that was happening around her.
Worriedly, Shaggy danced back and forth as her father reloaded his shotgun a second time. Samantha had to reach out and shove the young man sideways into Jay to keep him from getting too close to the ring of salt. “Jay, keep him out of trouble,” she hissed.
Jay sighed and pulled the uber geek back with him next to the sink. "Calm down,” he whispered.
Carson couldn't really see anything anymore, only spots that danced all over blocking her vision. Her right leg gave out and she vowed that if this situation ever came up again she'd not go into the circle with the demon. That had been plain stupid on her part.
As the words poured from Emily, the demon howled and made one last try at flailing out of the circle, her claws scrabbling at the invisible wall that kept her sealed in with Carson. From nowhere wind erupted, suddenly filling the kitchen. Everything from loose paper to small pots suddenly was flying through the air as something red and glowing opened in the center of the circle.
With a scream of hatred and rage the demon latched onto Carson again, even as it was drawn towards that glowing pit. “I won’t go alone!” It howled.
“CARSON!” Samantha screamed, lunging for her girlfriend, ignoring the salt circle that she’d just given Shaggy hell for getting near.
Carson gasped for breath as the demon's hold on her shifted and she blinked her eyes a couple of times clearing them. She was being dragged backwards and down. A quick look over her shoulder showed her various things she really had never wanted to see and would probably give her nightmares for several years.
She turned back and tried to break free, her body trying to go forward against the demon's hold. The demon's hold was forced loose and she cried out in pain as claws sliced her as the demon frantically tried to grab hold of her. Her left hand stretched out, she reached for Sam.
"No! Don't break the circle!" Shaggy shouted as he started towards the Asian woman.
“Get the fuck off me!” Samantha elbowed him in the head, kicked Jay in the shin, and reached across the circle of salt to grab onto Carson’s outstretched hand while Emily’s frantically kept up the chant that was the end of the banishment.
Carson nearly sobbed as Samantha's hand grabbed hers. "Don't let go,” she pleaded then gave another cry of pain as the demon grabbed her foot and nearly pulled her off of her feet. Frantically she shook her foot trying to get it to slip out of the shoe.
Emily looked around frantic. "That's it there's nothing left of the banishment chant. Why isn't she gone yet?" She turned shouting at Shaggy.
The young geek stared at the opening to hell that was now slowly starting to close. "Samantha broke the seal. I think if the demon doesn't fall through before that thing closes were screwed.”
Jahor grabbed the cross out of Shaggy's hand and determinedly walked over to the circle of salt. "I want you gone. You have no purpose here in my nice organized rational world. I want you gone!" Over and over he hit the demon's hand using the cross as a hammer. The fingers smoked and the flesh split open releasing a foul smell into the air. Then one by one the fingers fell away from Carson's foot.
“Careful.” Dr. Sakamoto cautioned, stepping up next to Jahor and aiming the shotgun barrel at the demons head. Eyes wide, Samantha had time to turn away before her father pulled the trigger. Since it wasn’t holding onto Carson anymore the blast hurled the demon into the pit, which promptly vanished, leaving behind only a reek of sulfur, and the splattered remnants of black ichor.
Carson lay very still on the floor, her heart was beating loudly in her chest, and the shotgun blast was still ringed in her ears. "Did we win?” she asked her voice rough and scratchy from the abuse it had taken.
“I really hope so.” Samantha knelt down next to her, brushing hair out of the injured woman’s face.
There was a moment of silence as they all looked at one another in the now lit kitchen, wearily acknowledging that they had somehow managed to get involved in and survive another extraordinary situation.
“That was fun,” Shaggy finally spoke up, only to get hit by Jay on the shoulder. “What?” he yelped. “It was. We were all together again and I got to get out of the house and then there was a demon and everything!”
“I’m going to kill him.” The dark haired woman whispered, kissing Carson softly, careful of the other woman’s split lip.
There was a rather familiar sound outside and through the window they could make out flashing lights and what looked like an aerial spot light illuminating the back yard.
“That’s the army again isn’t it?” Emily groaned.
Dr. Sakamoto sighed and nodded. “I called for help when I realized that thing was in the house.” He suddenly looked worried. “Your mother, I should make sure she is all right.”
Carson stiffened. "Are you...” She dropped her voice down to a quiet whisper. "Are you sure you want to kiss me in front of your dad?"
Sam looked up to see her father watching them with a definitely odd look. She smiled hesitantly at him and was relieved as he smiled faintly back before turning and going in search of her mother and brother, wherever they had ended up. “Yeah, it’s fine. We’ll have to have a talk later probably.” She didn’t really care right now though as she focused on kissing Carson again, until a stray thought caused her to pull back and frown. “How’d you get out of the ropes?”
Doors slamming could be heard from the front of the house and people running and shouting orders.
“Not again.” Shaggy groaned. Jay, resigned, sat down on a chair and waited for the inevitable.
Rolling her eyes, Emily turned away from the two, mumbling something about demon bait under her breath.
Carson shrugged. "You were taking to long to play hero. I got bored.” Sensing that their time together was again drawing short she said. "I'll tell you later. I promise, but I'd rather be kissing you.”
That sounded like a great idea to Samantha, who gladly returned to kissing the other woman on the kitchen floor in the remnants of the salt circle, which was exactly how the Special Forces soldiers found them as they burst in through the door and windows, yelling for people to get down, and brandishing their weapons.
The End