Our Demons {Kai Parker Book 1}

thirty: In Which Sham is Defeated

Ria stared at her reflection in the lake.

She had cut her hair, the length reaching just below her ears. The scar running down her face had healed as had the rest of her imperfections. Her eyes were two shades lighter, her nose more defined, her lips plump.

The time Afriel had spent fixing her soul had impacted her physical body and she began to appear more and more angelic like.

"One of our friends have contacted the Guild."

She turned around to face him.

He was just as perfect as when she had first seen him. In his presence, Ria felt strong and protected. She was fiercely loyal to him, never questioning any of his decisions.

Afriel had given her the greatest gift she could have ever asked for; strength.

She didn't care about Elena, the Salvatore brothers, Kai, Kol, or anyone else. They were all insignificant to her now as her loyalty was to Afriel and her purpose was to end the Guild.

"I should meet with them."

He nodded, "They'll be here soon. I will stand by you the entire time, and I trust you to talk and deal with them accordingly."

She felt the tingle in her fings.

The energy running through her veins and coursing through her heart was ecstatic, she had trained with it a little before but never had used its full power.

The air around them became static and damp. A chilling voice called out.

"So you are Ria Emmers."

"And you are?"

"My name is Sham, but that doesn't matter."

Sham was a spirit and even though she took the form of a woman, Ria could see that she was transparent. Floating instead of walking.

"We were told your Guild would be here too."

Sham stood a couple feet away. Ria stared her down and felt the energy running through her body, felt the ghost's emotions and thoughts.

"I now know what Benedict saw in you."

Ria clenched her jaw.

"Benedict could have had any human he desired, he could have forced vampirism onto you, but he didn't and I know why."

"Where is your Guild?" She asked again, clenching her fists.

Sham took a step back bewildered at the sudden change in the atmosphere. An intense energy was pulsing from her.

"It won't take my entire Guild to bring you down, girl. I am going to drench you of your energy, I am going to take control of your body, and then you are going to pay for killing Benedict."

"Try me."

Sham became as empty as the wind, flying towards Ria with a smirk. This would have been an easy win for her, for spirits are known to be able to possess humans, animals, objects and even other creatures.

Sham herself was a spirit from one of the earliest humans who lived, as centuries passed she gained more power, more experience, and now was the most powerful spirit in all the worlds.

Ria yelled pushing her back with the force of hate running deep in her heart. The electricity in her hands shocked the spirit for just enough time.

Sham lied on the ground, immobilized. Despite being a lightweight spirit she was weighed down.

"How is this possible?" She struggled.

Ria kneeled down, her eyes fluorescent.

"Benedict made a mistake coming after me. He may have been centuries old but I had him killed when I was a powerless weak human. You made a mistake coming here alone. I have powers beyond anything you've ever experienced, and I'm going to kill you."

Sham screamed in pain, a high frequency rang in the air so intolerable even Afriel winced and turned away.

Ria placed a hand through Sham's nonexistent chest and formed a fist, stripping the spirit of all her energy.

Then it stopped.

"You've got just enough energy to run back to your Guild and tell them that I am waiting for them."

"Ria no-"

She released the spirit. It vanished in that second.

Afriel grabbed her shoulder, "what are you thinking? You should have killed it, you could have-"

"Sham is going to die Afriel," she promised him. "One of my shadows has latched itself onto her form. The moment she tells the Guild what happened, it's going to take the rest of her energy and kill her."

Afriel stared in wonder at her and released his grip.

"I don't doubt you Ria, but I've seen angels turn against their orders, against their destinies and it has resulted in much harm."

"I don't intend to turn away until I have ended the Guild Afriel."

She walked towards the river and crouched down. She stared at her reflection again.

She wouldn't voice it, but in her heart, she knew something was not right. And not just with her face.

Afriel turned away from his creature and began to wonder. He could sense her loyalty to him, he could sense that she wanted compensation for the pain and suffering she experienced.

She was angry, hateful, and dangerous.

Afriel wondered if it was enough for her to kill Kai Parker when the time came.