Sympathy for the Devil

33

My chest burned. Li's name scorched the branded area next to Josh's scar. It felt like hydrogen peroxide being poured on a fresh wound.

She was dying. Or worse, dead.

What happens when the soul dies here? Uncollected? Do they become a Sluagh or something more sinister yet?

My fists pounded on the door. Let me out. I cast my thoughts into the void. Praying to be heard and answered.

I blinked my eyes a few times. I felt unraveled like the rind of a peeling fruit.

The door clicked open. I fell forward on my hands and knees. Right into Finn.

Another traitor in my midst. I cannot say I'm surprised. He gave me the creeps. I never much cared for him. He was a morbid fuck. His presence here makes too much sense.

I wondered how many of my kind switched sides. And why? What's in it for them?

Hauling ass away from him was my only option. Hitting the wall behind me as the door slammed shut leaving me in the desolate hallway was not part of my plan. My head slammed hard into the volcanic wall.

Finn moved his finger around his eye as the amber of his eyes wrinkled. Black shot through his eyes.

My lip trembled. I am utterly alone here. No Calvary is coming. No one knows where I am. It was a fucking fluke. Sally saw nothing. Her mind made the event appear normal. I misinterpreted her expression.

"If you give in and submit willingly, you get to keep your memories. The only thing that changes is your diet. I just want a taste. You smell sweet. I bet you taste even sweeter. You don't realize how hard it has been to have self control around you. I had to eat Hanna to subside my cravings."

Hanna? The little girl he was sitting with at the cafeteria? What the fuck did he do? How could anyone kill a child? Whether it be a God, human, or demon spawn; how could anyone fucking kill a child?!

"You monster!" I screamed. "She was a little fucking girl! All of you are monsters!" The tears streamed down my eyes before I could contain them.

"Finn." Arawn barked. "Leave her be. She's my daughter. You are not to touch her or speak to her without permission."

"How fatherly of you." I grumbled while staring at my hand that was nearly dismembered earlier.

"You are not to leave your room without my permission any longer. It's for your own safety, Elizabeth."

I kept my eyes downcast. I couldn't stomach looking at either of them.

"Guarantee I'll be safer with my friends than here. You might as well let me go now."

"Leaving is no longer an option for you."

My anger boiled over. "It's never been a fucking option. Let's be honest. You're never going to let me go. Now, you have my friend here. Where the fuck is she?"

Arawn tsked as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

I jutted forward. "Don't touch me." I tried to hold my voice steady, but it wavered with consternation. 

"Commanding and arrogant. Albeit a tad naive."

"Those are only meaningless adjectives." I grit out as a wad of spit escaped from my trembling lips. Fear bled into my complexion.

"Those are attributes you possess as my daughter. You come from both worlds. You have qualities from both worlds. You simply do not know all that you can accomplish. All that we can accomplish together. All you must do is give in and nobody will lay a finger on you or those you have grown to love." He saw the disbelief in my eyes. "I told you, I am as good as my word."