Demon Possession (12 page)

Cale studied her. Her movements screamed innocence. Sonya had obviously provided the wardrobe.The girl gavea nervous laugh,and the table of men joined in. As she strol ed back into thegal ey,Calenoticed many eyes in the room lingered on her. Cale was surprised to find evenhewas getting the urge to protect her, if only for the sake of Sebastian’s sanity.

When she once again exited thegal eyshe spotted Sebastian. Her face lit up as she hurried over to take their order. Sebastian gripped the table.

“Hi Sebastian! I mean Captain.” Her smile was radiant, then she turned to Cale,obviously regarding his horns. A little smal and lighter in color than Sebastian’s, they almost blended in withCale’sblond spikes of hair. “Hi, I’m Analia.” She introduced herself and reached out her hand.

“Calic.” He took her hand,admiring her bravery when she was obviously timid. There were not many who would reach out to wil ingly touch a demon.

Perhaps she was truly as naive as Sebastian claimed. Either that,or she is a very good actress.

“How do you like the job?” Sebastian asked.

She nearly bounced with her words. “It’s great. I must have met everyone on the ship by now. Marik says they’re curious about me, though I don’t know why they would be. There are so many different races here,I’m overwhelmed at learning them al . Many of them offered to show me more of the ship,but I told them I’d have to check with you first.”

Cale waited for Sebastian’s ire but he kept himself in check.

“You don’t need to check with me.In factyou won’t be seeing much of me from now on. I have a lot of responsibilities to attend to. If you need anything, go to Marik or Sonya, or even Cale if they are not available.” Cale scoffed at that and Sebastian shot him a warning look. “Cale wil be more than happy to assist you.”

Analia’s face fel . “Okay,” She muttered.

Uh oh.

Could she be as affected by Sebastian as he was by her? By the way Sebastian had spoken, you would think she should be happy not to see him again.

Just then Sebastian got up to leave and her breath caught.

“Are you not staying to eat?”

“No, I’l eat later.”

“But there’s rake stew. Marik says it wil be gone by today. He made me try it, it’s very good. One of the best things I’ve tasted so far.”

Sebastian laughed at that and reluctantly settled back in his chair. “Sure, I can’t pass up rake stew.”

She smiled again, “You too Calic?”

“Sure, why not.”

Analiarushed back to thegal eyand returned with two piping hot bowls. By the rich aroma, Cale could tel Marik had used a good stock of meat this time.

Cale dug in. Sebastian thanked Analia and watched her as she attended the other tables. In turn she would periodical y glance his way, turning away quickly if she caught his gaze.

“I’m going to need to get a mop for al the drool in here.” Cale caught Sebastian’s attention with that. He tried,and failed to hide a guilty smirk. “I see why you would want to stay away. A beautiful woman who wants to be near you? Belch.”

“She doesn’t want …”

“Yes she does.” Cale interrupted. “I’ve seen that look in a woman’s eyes before … manyin fact. She wants you too.”

“I don’t want …”

“Yes. You do.”

Sebastian shook his head but didn’t try to deny it again.

“I think you should just take her.”

He looked at Cale with a warning in his eyes. “No.”

“Get her out of your system.” He drawled. “Once you’ve had her, you’l be over her. Problem solved.”

Sebastian glanced toward Analia and his posture became rigid, horns darkening with malice. Cale looked and saw a male fingering the material of her skirt. Analia politely dodged out of reach. He focused back on Sebastian and snapped his fingers to gain his attention. “Then there would be no more of that,” He raised an eyebrow at Sebastian’s show of fangs. Sebastianvisiblystruggled to regain his calm.

“I couldn’t. She’s probably been treated badly her whole life. I wouldn’t feel right about using her like that.”

Cale looked at him like he was crazy. “Do you … you don’t care for her? Do you?” He noted the revulsion in his own voice.

“Of course not!”

“Good because you don’t even know this girl. She could be a spy.” Analia, carrying a load of dishes, teetered off balance and nearly dropped the pile.

She gathered her balance before disappearing into thegal ey. “A very convincing spy.”

“You’re right, al the more reason to stay away from her. I’m out of here. If she comes to you I’d appreciate it if you tried to help her, and be nice. And Cale

… I don’t have to tel you not to touch her.”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole,”Lie. If she wasn’t making Sebastian crazed,she was just the kind of girl he would attempt, but he scoffed at the idea of getting attached as clearly as Sebastian was.

Sebastian left the room without a backward glance.

The disappointment on Analia’s face, when she saw that Sebastian was gone, seemed to flood the room with its energy,almost pul ing sympathy from Cale. He didn’t like that. As Cale left the salon, he caught Marik’s eye and they shared a look.

So, Marik was aware of the situation as wel .

Finishing out the day Analia helped Marik clean up thegal eyand salon. Cleaning turned out to be as simple as washing the dishes or waiting the tables, though not as fun as waiting tables.

As she wiped the counters, she al owed her mind to drift through her day. A single day had been filed with more amusement than the whole of her entire life. Understanding flooded her at how much she’d been missing, solidifying her determination to keep her freedom. She vowed to work harder to prove her worth so she could petition to stay aboard the ship,and become part of the crew.

When Sebastian had appeared in thesalonshe used it as her chance to show how competent she was with her new position,and how quickly she performed her tasks. Hoping he was watching, she made sure to keep as busy as possible. Then she had noticed hewaswatching, intensely so. Flushing she had become distracted by him. She struggled not to notice his eyes on her. It had made her self-conscious about her every move.

One time during the evening Calic had whispered something to him, and he raked her with a look that stopped her in her tracks and almost sent a large pile of dishes crashing to the floor. It was the same look he gave her last night, and it had made her entire body shudder.

“Hi ya.” Sonya was suddenly in front of her. Analia hadn’t even heard her enter the room. “You almost finished here?” Jumping up she planted herself on the counter where Analia had just finished cleaning. Her legs swung leisurely off the ledge.

“I stil have some cleaning to do, but I believe I’l be finished soon.”

“Marik?” Sonya yel edthrough the window.

“Take her. I’l finish up here.”

Analia protested. “No I can finish.”

“Go on Anya. You did wel today. I’l see you tomorrow.”

Sonya didn’t wait for her reply before she hopped off the counter and pul edAnaliatoward the exit. “I have a surprise for you.” She practical y sang.

“A surprise?” Analia noted the casual way Sonya gripped her hand,and smiled back at her as she continued pul ing her down the hal . “I’ve been hunting al day long for you. I was tempted to keep some for myself.” She flipped her hair dramatical y and sighed, “You’re lucky I’m the generous type.”

“I have no idea what you’re taking about.” Analia almost laughed at the playful y wicked look Sonya gave her.

“We’re here.” They stopped in front of Analia’s room. “Wel ? Go in.”

Tentatively,Analia entered her room,not sure what to expect. Al around the room,clothes were draped over the couch, the bed, tables and chairs. “What’s this?”

“Your new wardrobe.” Sonya smiled and clapped her hands together as if it was the most amazing site, and for Analia it was.

Her gaze rol ed over the room taking in the clothing of al shapes and colors. She had never had a wardrobe before. The only clothing Darius al owed her,weretatter rags,not even fit for cleaning with. Biting back tearsAnalialooked at Sonya, the muscles in her throat tightening as she foughttheoverwhelming emotion, unable to speak her gratitude.

“Stop that,” Sonya scolded. “You’re going to get me going. Go. Go play with your new toys.”

As Sonya watched,Analiabrowsed the col ection,feelingthe materials. Some were softer than others and she couldn’t wait to wear them. Her outfit for the morning was already chosen before Analia finished browsing through every item.

“It’s not the best, it’s only what people were wil ing to part with, but I was able to get you some pretty nice stuff. Don’t you think?”

“Thank you Sonya. But this is too much,I think. I’m leavingthe ship after the delivery.” ThoughAnaliasecretly hoped otherwise.

“You’l stil need clothes after you leave us, won’t you? Lesson number one, you can never have enough clothes.” With sly movements,and a wicked grin Sonya slinked further into the room. “Lesson number two? Shoes!” She opened a closet to reveal a smal pile of shoes. Anya moved to get a better view.

Some were flat, and some were spiked at the heel like Sonya’s. Though they were beautiful, Analia found herself wondering how you’d walk in them.

Sonya must have seen her reservation. “Have you ever worn heels before?”

Analia shook her head.

“Oooh. This wil be fun. Try them on,and let me see your walk.” Sonya plopped onto the couch expectantly.

Discarding her flats,Analia strapped on one of the scarier pair. Taking a few shaky steps she was surprised at how balanced you had to be in order to stay upright.

After stumbling many times, and hearing Sonya’s giggles of delight, Analiaasked “Why do you go through this trouble?”

“Because, they look great!” She said,as though the question was a sil y one.

“Oh.”

“Keep trying, you’l get it.” Sonya stood and gave her a slow demonstration. Analia fol owed her example,and after many attempts was able to walk across the room with only one slip. Even though Sonya seemed to thoroughly enjoy Analia’s every falter—every one ofSonya’showls and giggles drew a laugh from Analia as wel —Sonyaapplauded at Analia’s mild triumph. “Very nice, now try another pair.”

This time Analia chose a smal er heel,which was much easier, but stil trying. She made it across the room with no slips and smiled at her own success.

This pair would go perfect with her outfit tomorrow.

Sonya suddenly turned serious. Analia could tel something was on her mind,and was sure she was about to be questioned—again—but asked anyway.

“What is it?”

“I heard something about you, that you were a slave. Is it true?”

Analia merely nodded in confirmation.

“For how long?”

“Almost al my life. I was a child when my Mother died. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, or my true age now, but I estimate it has been about two hundred years.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what that would be like. Marik was a slave, did he tel you?

“Yes.”

“When we saved him he was wild. Almost mad,from what they did to him. You seem to be more stable. But then, demons don’t do wel in captivity. We are ruled by emotions that border on the extreme. Happy, sad or angry we feel them very strongly. Perhaps your kind has more control over themselves.”

“I’m not sure. Maybe. There were many times I thought I would go mad. There was a timewhenI think Iwasmad. My mind would invent hal ucinations.”

At times she would see a ghost of a man. The same man each time. He was older,and reminded her of something, or someone,she couldn’t quite remember. She imagined he had ears like hers,and kind eyes. She figured it was a way for her mind to cope with the long periods of isolation.

“For some reason I would always come back from the brink of insanity, I don’t know why or how, I just did. And then I was myself once more. I remember feeling that there was something more for me. That eventual y,I would be free. I guess that kept me sane.” WhatAnaliadidn’t say,was that the hal ucination would tel her these things. He would tel her he could sense her future,and assured her that she would beokay.

Even though she knew he wasn’t real, Analiaalways kept him in the back of her mind, for strength.

“So, you don’t know how old you are?”

“No.”

“When is your birthday?”

“I don’t remember. Like I said, I was very young when my mother died.”

“Were you enslaved because she died?”

“Yes and no. I remember we were running from something, something from my home planet,I think.” Analia’s brows drew together trying to remember. She hadn’t thought of her mother, or the events that wove her fate for so long.’Get her out of here, keep her safe’someone had yel ed. The memory almost surfaced. “When we approached a large ship,I remember myMother seemed to grow upset. She was yel ing at someone, the pilot maybe. I just looked out the window as we began to dock.The ship became our home.We hadn’t beentherevery long before my Mother … died.”

Darius had told her it was suicide. She believed him,atfirst, when she was only a child. But now she had no doubt that Darius was behind the death. “After that I belonged to …” Analia trailed off. She had almost given a name.Stupid. “I was a slave from that point on.” She remembered the first time Darius hooked her up to the ship, drawing out her energyin excruciating waves. Shethought she would die from the pain of it.

Sonya, now visibly saddened by her story, slumped on the couch. “I’m sorry.” She said. “I’m glad that you’re free now. May your life be fil ed with happiness from now til the end.”

Analia tried to shrug off the sense of foreboding that now flooded her. Darius could stil find her. She realized she couldn’t stay onMarada,as she’d been wishing al day. Eventual y he wil come looking for her. Not only would he find her,and claim her once more, but—and it only occurred to her now—the people on this ship were in danger, because of her.

Extargawas powerful, even without Analia there to give it life. Darius honed it as a weapon of destruction. Sebastian’s ship was substantial,and she could feel its strength, but it would never stand a chance againstExtarga. Darius would rip through theMaradaas if it were made of paper.