The Betrayal

Chapter 8 - 'Monster'

He menacingly removed his mask and steadily placed it on the ground, like a trophy.

"You monster!" I screamed with all my anger,

"I would argue Nate, but frankly, you're quite right." He said bitterly.

The other demons stepped back, stunned and confused as to why he was communicating with me. He harshly waved his hand to persuade them to calm down.

"He's blood, stand down." Aaron said sternly,

"How could you do this to me?! How could you do this to her?! She was innocent!"

By this point I had no more tears to cry. My ducts had run dry. I had the sudden realisation that not only did I see black demons on the night my parents were killed, but a strange red-tinted one too.

"It was you! You killed my parents!" I bawled, "How could you kill your own brother?!"

"Your wretched father dug his nose in where it was not welcome!" He shrieked, "He rejected us and threatened to reveal our identity to society, a grave mistake. I did my duty as a member of the order and took care of him, as I am doing now. It was your fatal mistake to tell your weasel female about us. We can not risk our revelation or publication to the wider populace of peasant human beings." He sneered,

"You're a human being!" I yelped, confused by what he meant.

"Oh no my dear boy, we are much more than that. Didn't your father ever teach you to keep your hidden knowledge a secret?!" He questioned,

"Yes, but I thought he meant normal secrets, not this!" I said, disheartened. I then comprehended that my father wanted me to keep these secrets in order to protect innocent people. I had failed him. I had failed Kelly. I slumped on to my back, too disconsolate and discouraged to carry on trying to survive. Aaron grabbed my head and shook it savagely.

"Nope! You're not leaving me yet!" He said with an evil smirk.

I hoped the blood loss from the glass wound would have been enough to comatose me by now, but Aaron kept me conscious.

"Didn't you ever wonder why you knew nothing of your grandparents? My father was the greatest and smartest occult researcher of all time. When he investigated rituals, he became obsessed with them. After searching for years, and losing contact with me and your father, he finally found what he was searching for. He performed a complicated ritual to summon an army of powerful, man-like demons which he could control to do his bidding. In order to summon these, he needed the blood of an innocent, and so chose your grandmother. Horrified, your father and I killed him to stop the demons from being spawned, but I couldn't let that power go to waste. Behind your fathers back, I continued the ritual and went on to summon the demons, and they're now my army to control!"

I finally understood. Aaron WAS a monster. Consumed by a lust for power and the urge to kill. He had an army of unstoppable warriors he could command to do anything he wished. Acting from the shadows, he killed anyone who stood in his way or threatened to reveal who he truly was. He slouched back in the chair.

"Unfortunately, after finishing the ritual, the demonic essence tainted our blood. It somehow gave anyone in our bloodline unnatural strength and through further dedication, other miraculous powers. Your father had these, but chose to ignore them. Now you have the potential to unlock the same skills Nathan. It's not easy to properly tap into these abilities however. It requires a heart of anger and the desire to punish those who need to be punished."

I had powers? I knew the unnatural strength had always been there but I assumed that was just a gene, passed from my father and his father before him.

"The female was nothing, a mere mortal. You, like the rest of our bloodline, have the potential to be dominant and godly. Embrace the power, let them in." He said mysteriously,

"I can't" I wept,

"Join us Nate. Let me help you unmask these amazing abilities and we can rule together!" He said delightedly.

He held out his hand. This was my moment. I grabbed the glass shard which had made a home inches deep into my hip and ripped it out with an almighty force. I didn't care about the risk to my life, I just wanted to hurt him. I struck upwards and, using it like a blade, sliced Aaron's wrist, severing his hand from his arm. His hand tumbled to the ground as he let out a chilling shriek. The throbbing and pulsing stub was pouring with thick, red blood and Aaron clutched it as tight as he possibly could. The demons were on me in seconds, but a loud banging noise from outside the apartment caused them to flee. They grabbed Aaron and flew, like a lightning bolt, across the room, disappearing into black and red smoke. My vision slowly diminished as I watched Pete break through the apartment door and rush to my aid.