Cupcakes, Curves and Don't Forget Demons

Chapter 9

"Acaccccccciaaaaaa...."

            I seemed to be floating, looking out into a vast, empty space. What little light there was was being devoured by the growing shadow in front of me. It was immense, closely resembling what I would assume a black hole would look like.

            I started moving my arms through the air in an attempt to swim away from it, but got nowhere. I was stuck.

            "Acacccccccccccccciaaaaaa...."

            My name reverberated around me, closing in until it felt as though I had ropes binding my body. I opened my mouth to scream but I found myself gasping for air. The shadow closed in, enveloping me. The last thing I saw was unending darkness.

 

***

As he slowly woke up, Dominic reached out to pull Acacia closer. His arm landed flat on the bed and his eyes opened wide. He rolled over and saw that the space beside him was completely empty.

            "Acacia?" He called as he got out of bed. When there was no reply, he felt his heart drop. Dominic ran through the kitchen and into the living room, checking the bathroom along the way. She was nowhere to be found.

            "Fuck." He cursed loudly, growling as he returned to the bedroom. Scooping his clothes off of the floor, he yanked them on. You idiot, he reprimanded himself, instead of hunting down the damn monster summoning the demons, you've been bedding her.

            He should have known that yesterday's events would have made her emotionally and mentally vulnerable. It was the perfect opening for the summoner to slip in and snatch her. Though, how they'd done that without waking him was beyond his comprehension. He was a light sleeper and could wake up at the smallest hint of danger.

            Taking one last look around the house, he left, determined to find and kill whoever had stolen Acacia.

***

"Are you going to wake up yet? God you're pathetic."

Acacia came to, rather groggily, shaking her head to clear it as her eyes opened and adjusted to how dim the light was. The first thing she noticed was that she was bound to a giant wooden X, her wrists and ankles tied up tightly, the rope digging deeply into her skin.

            "What the hell?" She asked, her voice coming out as a croak due to how dry her throat was.

            "About damn time. It's no fun if you're not conscious." A familiar voice said to her sneeringly.

            She lifted her head and her body tensed. It couldn't be. No way in hell.

            "Marie?"

            The slim brunette grinned, her teeth flashing white in the dimness. She lifted her arms, the sleeves of the black robe she wore, falling to the crooks of her elbows. "Welcome to my...lair? Dungeon?" She chuckled to herself, "Who cares. Either way, it's going to be your grave."

            Acacia shook her head, unable to believe what was happening. "Why are you doing this?"

            "Because I want your power." Marie said simply.

            Furrowing her brow, Acacia gave her part time employee a confused look. "Power? What the hell are you talking about?"

            Marie let out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes, "You're a quarter demon, idiot. Not enough that it gives you any special abilities but enough that once harnessed, can increase another's power tenfold."

            Acacia could only stare wide eyed at her.

            "Yet somehow you have been destroying my minions that I sent to fetch you." The girl cocked her head to the right, a thoughtful expression on her face as she tapped her left cheek with her finger, "Now that is an explanation I'd like to hear."

            "You're the one summoning those fucking demons?!" Acacia shouted, straining against the ropes.

            Marie turned her back to her and walked to a small table against the far wall of the room they were in. She picked something up from off of it before replying, "Is that really so surprising? Do I look so weak that it's surprising that I can summon demons?" She spun around, revealing that what she held in her hand was a long bladed knife. That sickly innocent grin formed on her lips again. "Oh, and not just lackey minions either...But real, merciless minions from the sixth level of Hell."

            Too fast for Acacia to comprehend what was happening, that knife slashed through the air and across her stomach. She screamed as pain exploded within her, blood soaking her nightie.

            "Oh now now. That was just a taste of what's going to happen to you." Another slice, across her upper left thigh. Blood poured down her leg as another scream tore from her.

            Marie stepped back, as if to admire her handiwork. "You know, I did enjoy working in the bakery. You make some of the best treats I've had. It's a shame that there won't be anymore."

            Clenching her teeth through the pain, tears streaming down her face, Acacia asked, "Why are you doing this?"

            "I already told you. I want your power. Your life force. Unless I keep myself sustained, I will lose what power I have, and I can't let that happen."

            "I meant the torturing." Acacia winced.

            Marie's brown eyes glimmered, "Oh! Well that's just for fun."

            "You bitch!" Acacia hissed, straining against the ropes hard enough that they cut into her flesh, causing blood to well up.

            Eyes narrowing, Marie raised the knife.

            "I would not do that, if I were you." A deep voice warned from the shadows.

            Marie spun towards it as Acacia's head snapped back up. Skin beginning to glow with anger, eyes twin pools of ink, Dominic stepped into the light.

            "Thank god." Acacia sighed, slumping against the cross.

            Lowering the knife, Marie put her hands on her hips. "Who are you?

            "Your worst fucking nightmare." Dominic replied before charging at her.

            Marie murmured something under her breath and instantly, the floor burst into flames. Three hell hounds, like the ones that had attacked them the other night, rose from the ground. They snarled, gnashing their teeth as they leapt upon Dominic. He threw one off just as another bit deeply into his shoulder, causing him to shout in pain.

            Calling forth his fire, he shoved his hands into the stomachs of two of them. They exploded into puffs of rancid smoke. Hissing, Marie spread out her hands, palms facing downwards and murmured again. This time, the flames on the floor swirled into a cyclone. Dominic destroyed the third hound as a loud roar came from the cyclone of fire.

            He turned to it and watched as a demon, skin pure black, eyes blood red and curled horns upon its head stepped out. It towered over him, its horns touching the ceiling. The cyclone of fire dissipated, and Acacia noticed that the fire hadn't burned anything.

            As the demon advanced on Dominic, Acacia eyed Marie. She looked tired but pleased. The summoning was taking a toll on her, and this new demon was obviously not just a minion. It roared again and tried grabbing Dominic. He dodged it and threw a ball of flame at its legs. The demon's flesh sizzled as the ball connected with it. Then something happened.

            The demon began laughing, "You puny fool." It growled at Dominic. "You could not make it as a demon and can't make it as a hunter. Belial should have sliced off your head when he took the whore's."