Demon's Awakening Ch. 07

It was a new uni trimester and in the afternoon I was happy to see Khloe, back from her Aspen trip. .

"Is there something on you're mind?" Khloe asked, eyes narrowing on me seated across from her. The uni cafeteria was buzzing, we had to huddle at a small table in the corner. She munched into her sandwich while mine was left on the table untouched.

There were a million things on my mind, and none of them were simple to explain. A lot had changed since Khloe last saw me and Alor. She'd probably think I was crazy for feeling the mixed emotions I was feeling. All for a demon that nearly used her as a sacrifice.

Normalcy had returned to my life, I was happy. But not as happy as I'd pictured in the past. As much as Alor had annoyed me and put me through hell, I'd grown close to him. I'd been drawn to his presence, as I had in another life.

I unwrapped the plastic from my sandwich. "I'm the one who cut off his dick..."

Khloe stopped chewing, her eyes wide. She swallowed. "I... don't know what to say to that."

"In a past life. We seemed to have had a tumultuous relationship." I began eating, filling Khloe in on my quarter life crisis. "Thats not the only thing. He want's me to have his baby so he can return to the Spirit Realm."

Now Khloe choked on her sandwich. I passed her my cup of water to help wash it down. Once she recovered, she grabbed my free hand and caressed it comfortingly. "Do we need to get you a plan B?"

"No." I smiled.

Khloe looked at me, as if trying to gage what I was thinking. Instead she said. "Tell me how you're feeling."

"I'm terrified of making a decision." Finishing my sandwich, I gripped her hand tighter. "I'm still figuring out what I want to be. I was so set on not being connected to the Spirit Realm, I thought uni would take me somewhere. Get a serious job." I looked down at the discarded plastic. "But now things have changed. I don't know what to do."

Khloe sighed, giving me a sympathetic look. "You've grown to love him. It happens. The fact that he's a different species is a whole other ball park but," Khloe waved her hand. "If you've embraced your connection to the Spirit Realm, maybe you were meant to discover something new? Life isn't a straight line, it's a zigzag."

She was right. I'd never envisioned my special talent as a job or being important in my future. But now that I'd gotten a taste of Alor, new and exciting doors were opening. He said he was a king, and he needed an heir.

Didn't that mean I was the Queen?

I had no living family. Envisioning a family of my own didn't seem so bad.

***

November became December. Families were visiting for Christmas, the streets of Seattle were full of them. I'd gone out to get some hot roast chicken in the evening, the dark sky illuminated by glowing storefronts, cars, and streetlights. I'd not expected it to be so busy, as I walked back home among crowds of families in the snow. I never felt so alone.

It was hard not to think of my parents. As a child, we'd have a quiet Christmas dinner with just the three of us, and watch Christmas movies until it was way past my bedtime. One of them would carry me to bed and tuck me in. Good times.

If I could have isolated one moment in time, it'd be that. I'd stay there forever.

I shoved a hot piece of chicken in my mouth, savouring the succulent flavour mingled with gravy. I flicked through the channels on my tv, trying to find something Christmassy when there was a knock on my door. My heart fluttered and I surged up from my dinner. Alor.

But who would actually face me at the door? It had been almost two months since he left with Kaz in pursuit of his true body. Alor could be in his real form. It would be like seeing each other for the first time again.

Or would I jump out of my skin and be terrified of what I saw?

Kill the anticipation. I took a breath and opened the door.

"Ethan," I gawked. He was clad in a overcoat, blue wooden sweater and a beanie. Eyelashes frosted, he shivered with a smile.

"Merry Christmas Mina." He said.

I pulled him inside and shut the door. "Why are you here?"

He warmed his bare hands with his breath, noticing how I eyed his clothes. "Not enough layers." He joked.

"Yes captain obvious."

He pulled off his boots, and placed them in the shoe compartment by the door. "I heard you might be alone."

Word really did travel down the grape vine. "Yes well, Alor's not here. I don't know when he'll be back."

"Are you going with him when he returns?"

So Ethan knew what Alor's absence meant. I shrugged.

Ethan's eyes were a cold blue. "I can't stop you. If your gonna chose a demon over me just be honest about it."

I didn't want saltiness on my Christmas Eve. I sighed and abandoned him to sit back infront of my roast chicken. "Ethan I don't want to think about this right now. I want to be with my parents."

There was an awkward silence. Ethan knew all to well the hole my parents left behind, and for him to come over and be salty about Alor—when he wasn't even here—made me think he wasn't here to comfort me. We'd spent some Christmases together as children, when my parents were still alive.

Slowly, Ethan said. "I'm sorry."

I shoved another piece of chicken in my mouth when a shadow fell over my face. Was that a Nintendo SP?

Ethan gave me a soft smile, sprawling on the couch behind me. "Do you want to play Mario Kart?"

Ethan stayed the night, sleeping on the couch just after midnight. I felt bad not giving him a bed but it would have been weird to share one with him now.

What was more weird was the empty space beside me, the sheets cool and crisp. There was no bump in the night, not an ounce of paranormal activity to be seen, felt or heard. Alor's presence had kept my connection to the Spirit Realm at bay, but now that he was gone and there was nothing, my heart spiked in my chest.

What if my connection was gone?

I shook my head, as if to shake off the bad thoughts. It didn't matter, if anything this was something to celebrate because I'd be getting an undisturbed night of sleep!

I turned over to see a dark silhouette standing over me. Oh fuck.

It didn't have facial features, only two glowing eyes like a wolf in the night. And then its maw opened and swallowed me whole.

I screamed.