Succubus

Chapter 19: Paimon

After Erlik left to chase after Vine, Mags and Mara spent their days trying to stay calm. It wasn't easy with them all alone in their brother's house. Both of his children were gone, and it was in no small part due to Mara. The sisters sat in uneasy silence at the breakfast table and took turns sipping tea. They weren't ready when the front door opened. There was only one person it could be, and she was back earlier than expected.

Mags fell out of her chair and ran into the kitchen. She grabbed a knife, thought better of it, and put the knife back. Mara tried to open a window but it was stuck in the frame. Mags went to the phone to call Pithius who was still visiting heaven. She realized he would have his phone switched off because there were no phones allowed in Heaven.

Both demons returned to their table and continued sipping tea. A bead of sweat ran down Mara's back and Mags had to clasp her hands together to stop their trembling. They waited as heavy footfalls moved from the living room into the kitchen.

Paimon stepped around the corner and filled the door frame. She was slim but muscled like an olympian. Her long white hair was messy like Vine's, but while Vine managed to look endearingly messy, Paimon just looked unhinged. Scars criss crossed any exposed skin like she was something's scratching post. She held a duffel bag in her right hand. On her left hand was a wedding ring carved out of sulfur.

"Hi Paimon," Mags said after mustering all her courage.

"You're home early," Mara said.

Paimon nodded, eyes elsewhere. "They didn't put up much of a fight."

She dropped her duffel bag in the corner of the room. Steel and polymer rattled when the bag hit the ground. Paimon went to the fridge and began taking out vegetables and meat. All of it went into a blender, including something's heart. After blending for a few seconds Paimon sat down at the table with her drink.

"Is that a new hat?" Mara asked.

Paimon glanced up at the fur loovuuz on her head, as though she had forgotten it was there. She took it off and tossed it to the other side of the table.

"The other side's leader was wearing it, but he doesn't need it anymore."

Mags and Mara looked closer at the hat and saw dried blood stuck on the fur lining.

"Is Pithius on his trip?" Paimon asked.

"Yeah," Mags said.

Paimon nodded. Her eyes looked toward the ceiling. "My children aren't home," she stated.

Mags and Mara looked at each other for a second. Paimon's red eyes moved between them.

"Erlik went to feed in the mortal world," Mags said.

Paimon nodded again. "And Vine?"

"Probably just visiting that big hole she likes," Mara said.

"I hope she gets back soon. I have to teach her how to punch before she goes to the mortal realm in a few decades."

Each of them took another sip. A bead of sweat formed at the end of Mara's nose and trembled before falling into the tea cup.

Paimon's hands shot out like snakes. Mags pushed herself away from the table and tried to run, but Paimon caught her sleeve and pulled her back into the chair. Paimon pinned Mara's hand to the table with just her index finger. Mara's legs scraped at the floor as she desperately tried to pull her hand free. After a long struggle she pulled her chair up and sat back at the table with tears on her face.

"Tell me what happened," Paimon said. Her expression hadn't changed while she restrained her in-laws.

Mara began confessing. She didn't try to shift blame or reason with Paimon. A few times she had to stop and sob, but eventually she told how Vine had tricked her and found the book on Melding. She didn't try to say that Erlik was going to bring her back, only that he'd gone after her. There was no softening the blow with Paimon.

Paimon let go of Mags' sleeve and took her finger off Mara's hand. Mara rubbed a new purple bruise below her middle knuckle. She wanted to get ice, but didn't dare get up.

"Do you know how to reverse a Melding?" Mags asked. She felt braver since she wasn't the one who told Vine about melding.

"I've never had to before. What might work is destroying the bodies the kids are inhabiting. Both halves of the soul come down here, then we can put the kids back together from the pieces."

Mags and Mara looked across the table at each other. They shared a moment of sympathy for whoever was hosting their niece and nephew, but the feeling didn't last. They were too worried about their own skin.

"Are you going to wait for someone to summon you?" Mags asked. Physically getting to the Mortal realm was only slightly easier for Paimon, and even then it was rare. A few power hungry mortals had summoned her every hundred years hoping she would help them topple an enemy army. Those episodes typically ended with a memorial being dedicated to a disputed number of victims on both sides of a conflict. It was hard to count pieces.

Paimon shook her head. "No time. I'll do it the way they did."

Mags and Mara traded a look of surprise.

"But you might lose half of yourself," Mags said.

Paimon shrugged. "I won't, but even if I did they're my kids. I've got to go get them."

The sisters almost wanted to say "aww", but they thought better of it.

Paimon stood up and headed toward the stairs. "Don't be here when I get back. Leave a note for Pithius explaining what happened and that I'm handling it."

As Paimon headed upstairs Mags ran to her room to throw all her clothes into whatever suitcase she could find. Mara scribbled out a note before going to join her sister. Both of them felt that they'd gotten off easy.