Page 26 of Dark Rapture
The driver begins to laugh, an awful sound that grates on my already frayed nerves. Tears pool at the corners of my eyes, because I don’t know what entity this is and what it plans to do with me.
Just when the panic starts to completely overwhelm me, a shadow descends on the car and the driver’s body is pulled upwards towards the roof. He contorts and smashes up into it, before falling like a rag doll back into his seat.
I startle, but the darkness pulls up and away just as quickly as it came. It’s like the entity possessing the man was ripped right out of his body by something else, and now the poor taxi driver sits crumpled in the driver’s seat, unconscious and unaware.
The sound of the car doors unlocking startles me again. With a hand that is shaking violently, I toss the money I owe the driver into the passenger side seat and exit the car as fast as I can. I don’t even look back as I pull my keys from my pocket, unlock the door, and rush inside.
Breathing heavily, I let the tears fall. This is too fucking much.
I pull off my cardigan, drop my bag, slip off my shoes and head directly for my reading chair. I slide into it, still shaking and quietly crying, before pulling my large blanket up over my head and silently willing the world to just stop and give me a chance to catch my breath.
I can only assume Daemon pulled the errant demon from the man’s body and let me out of the car, and part of me is thankful for it. I don’t know what would have happened to me if he didn’t show up to save me from the unknown entity.
A thought enters my mind: If I bind myself to Daemon, will that stop other demons from bothering me? Can he protect me from these beings that I know so little about?
Pulling the blanket down from over my head, I let my still blurry eyes roam my apartment. It’s empty, and quiet. There’s a light on above my stove in the kitchen, one I often forget to turn off. It provides just enough light to keep the darkness at bay as the sun continues to set in a sky already dark from the rain.
I will my reluctant voice to leave my lips, although it sounds weak in the quiet that fills my apartment. “Daemon, I know you can hear me. Please… leave me alone for the night. I can’t give you anything else. I need sleep.”
As I expected, there is no direct answer to my request. Just a gentle quiet that doesn’t feel oppressive, and no presence of a demonic entity to be felt.
I close my eyes, and sleep comes hard and fast. Exhaustion pulls me under so deeply, that my eyes don’t open until the morning light arrives.
Chapter Eight
Two Days Later
Therainisfallingheavily from the dark sky above, beating against the thick glass of my bedroom window. The sound is incessant, but deeply soothing. This weather made it difficult to get out of bed this morning after an exceptionally long day at work the day before, but I knew I couldn’t lay in bed all day and just wait for this day to end.
Pushing open the door of my altar room, I step inside the cozy space and immediately close the door behind me. Moving to stand in front of my altar, I lower myself down into a kneeling position.
So much has happened since I last knelt down in this sacred room. The protection spell I cast on a little brown pouch and kept securely in my pocket for my dad’s birthday party was a success, my childhood abuser was sent away thanks to the defensive magic I carried with me.
The strength and control that I felt after that fateful day was how I imagined a drug would feel to a new addict. Intoxicating, heady, and triggering all those sore places inside of me that are desperate for relief.
My need for safety and control over my own life is overwhelming, since it was stripped away from me at such a young age. With the use of magic comes control of the world around you, and that is incredibly irresistible for someone like me. Someone that feels the inherent drive to protect herself and prevent the horrors that could befall her.
Last night, it took me forever to fall asleep. I keep fantasizing about the potential Daemon was promising me. Could I stop people from hurting me entirely? Could I bring real success and luck into my everyday life? How far could my magic take me?
Those thoughts haunted me late into the night, and it wasn’t until I promised myself that I would seek the answers to those questions the following morning that my mind finally relaxed enough for me to actually sleep.
Kneeling here now, before the altar I assembled a few months ago as an inexperienced witch, I feel in charge of my life for the first time.
Although my spell was a success, everything that led me to this moment also led me to Daemon. A Prince of Hell, a dark entity that was the very thing capable of proving the existence of the paranormal to me.
Something put me in the direct path of the most horrific supernatural experiences, events I never imagined possible in this reality, and there was no turning back now.
All I want is to take full control of my life, and find out exactly what Daemon is offering. I want to know every single detail if I am going to allow a demon to bind my soul to him forever.
Knowledge. Strength. Control. If those things are within my reach, I want them. I don’t ever want to be somebody’s helpless victim, not ever again.
Leaning forward slightly, I take a few minutes to light the candles and position two of them on either side of the altar for lighting, before shifting my body back into position.
I close my eyes, settling my hands palms down over my bare thighs. The bottoms of my loose-fitting black silk shorts tickle my wrists, so I reposition myself and take a deep, steadying breath.
I focus my mind on Daemon, on the memory of our first time meeting here in this room. I recall the sound of his voice, the feel of his otherworldly body, and the way his presence overpowered me.
“Daemon, Prince of Hell, I call to you,” I call out, my voice sounding louder than it feels like it should be in the quiet atmosphere of my apartment. “Show me what I am capable of.”
