Our Demons {Kai Parker Book 1}

chapter forty-two: Bonus Chapter

Ria stared out the window, counting every tree they passed by on her fingers. She was so caught up in her thoughts concerning the three young Witches that she didn't hear Stefan call her name.

His left hand rested on the steering wheel as he turned his head to stare at her. She murmured under her breath, brows furrowed showing that she was deep in thought.

Stefan reached over and held her hand in his, stopping her obsessive count.

"We're going to find them,"

She nodded her head and spoke in a breathless tone, "I know."

"And we'll take care of them."

"I know."

"Then what are you thinking about?"

She was certain he would not want to know. And even if he did, this was something he shouldn't know.

Ria did not have to justify herself or explain herself to Stefan, she did not owe him anything. But he was her friend, the only person she trusted without a doubt, and so the very least she could do was tell him what was on her mind.

"Do you remember when I ran away?" she bit her lip. Stefan recognized that something serious was on her mind.

"I remember."

She hesitated, contemplating whether to tell him the specific details of that day or not. Not wanting to scare him, she decided to leave out this valuable detail. "An angel found me. His name was Afriel and I am the first of his humans."

"What do you mean the first of his humans?"

"He was given the responsibility of spinning the soul into a human body, and I was the first of his creations. There was a strong link or bond between us, and he could feel that there was something wrong with me with me and he came to help me. We're always told stories of angels and how they're good, how they help people and perform miracles to help people, but they don't really teach us that Angels can be bad too."

Her voice cracked so he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Every nerve in my body trusted him beyond reason. I knew his name even before he introduced himself to me. It was like I was bonded to him. He knew everything about me; from my deepest desires to my darkest fears. Everything. I trusted every word that left his mouth."

A pang of jealousy hit his chest "Where is he now?"

"I killed him."

"What?" he asked in alarm, "How?"

"He wanted to help the Elysium Witches. To kill the young Witches, help them bring the prophecy into effect. I trusted him because he protected me against myself. When I thought I was nothing, he made me believe I was everything. But when he asked me to kill them, I realized that he wasn't a protector. I saw my younger sister in those three witches, I saw that I needed to protect them as I protected her. And I killed him."

"If he's an angel, shouldn't there be more of them?"

"As far as I know he was alone."

~~~

The force of the wind felt like knives slashing across his face yet like a hunger-stricken predator he licked the blood off his dry, cracked lips.

He shivered from the cold but had no intention of getting a coat or sweater. He stepped on the ledge, looking down at the ground twenty feet down.

One would imagine that death is the most difficult for humans because it is a permanent loss, but any person who has lived in torment and rage and loneliness will testify that the greatest loss is actually that which dies within us while we live.

The heart which may beat for a lover becomes an organ with the sole purpose of pumping blood around the body.

The brain which may hold memories of a special someone becomes a machine for movement and thought process.

Kai Parker was living as every hope and every desire, as every regret, memory, and good in him disappeared.

In this prison world every person had died, and this was a form of torment no one could save him from. But he had faced it before. He had been sent to a prison world before, for years all alone with no hope.

This time was different because although death took away from him, love is a factor that torments his memories and feelings and thoughts, as a constant reminder of what he was robbed of.

He wasn't alone this time, the demons lurking in his mind had a strong call.

His voice was hoarse from the days of yelling and screaming but again he called out,

"R-Ria,"

He took a step forward.

"Please."

His body landed with a heavy thud.