Demonspawn (23 page)

The first thing I did when Alicia came over
for dinner was give her a hug. Definitely put everything in
perspective, and the bottom line was that it didn't matter at all
that I was adopted. I was lucky, and I knew it. I would never take
Mom and Alicia for granted.

It was Friday afternoon. I had a nice lazy
morning watching a few movies, then decided it was time to hit the
weights. I had two hundred thirty pounds over my chest when the
front door swung open.

“Alex!” she said. “What the hell are you
doing?”

I didn't respond until I was done eight reps.
I racked the weight and sat up. Cindy stood near the front door
with a shopping bag from the mall.

“Well, I'm trying to give all the women
something to look at.”

She rolled her eyes. I laughed. She knew I
was only kidding. I didn't have an ego, which made my ego jokes all
the funnier.

I stood up and grabbed the curl bar from the
floor. I looked at Cindy, and could have sworn I saw her looking me
up and down. Nah. Wishful thinking.

“I talked to Tina while I was at the mall.
Her and Dave are heading out tonight. You game?”

The gang. I hadn't seen them in what felt
like forever. “Yeah. I'm up for that.”

“Cool. If you're nice I'll dance with you.
See if we can get you a woman by making them all jealous.”

“I'm always nice.”

“Then you'll get a dance.”

She flashed that bright smile and left. I
wished I could let myself think she was flirting with me. But I
knew better.

The time passed pretty quickly, which always
sucks on a Friday night. Before I knew it the sun had set and I was
getting dressed to go out. I walked the three steps to Cindy's and
opened the door. The gang was already there. Dave and Tina were
wrestling in the middle of the living room. Jenny was in the corner
talking on her phone. I could see Alicia talking in Cindy's room. I
couldn't see Cindy, but I didn't think Alicia was talking to
herself.

“Alex!” Dave called. “What the hell is
up?”

That brief greeting let Tina sneak up and put
Dave in a headlock. He gave in so he could feel her ass.

“Hi, Alex,” Tina said.

I laughed and waved. Jenny nodded at me from
the corner. I pointed at her, my way of saying hi. I headed back to
Cindy's bedroom and jumped in enthusiastically. Cindy was sitting
on her bed, looking serious. Their conversation came to a stop when
I popped in.

“How are my two favorite females?”

“Damn. Look who's here,” Cindy said.

I rubbed my hands together. “Okay guys. I
need your help. There are about one hundred women outside mobbing
my truck. I need to get them to go away.”

“Just go outside and take your shirt off,”
Cindy said with a smile. “That should do it.”

“If I do that, then one hundred becomes five
hundred. I can't risk it. It's too dangerous.”

Alicia rolled her eyes. There was an awkward
silence. I didn't sense any bad moods, but something was up.

“Guys? Did I cut in to something? What's
up?”

Alicia shrugged. “Nope. Nothing going on
here. Right, Cindy? Nothing
ever
going on here.”

Cindy flashed Alicia a dangerous look. Alicia
walked out of the room.

What the hell was that all about?

“Cindy?”

She shook her head and stood up.
“Everything's cool. How do I look?”

A black skirt that stopped at the lower
thigh. Black sandals. A tee-shirt that showed most of her slender
arms.

She looked beautiful. Gorgeous. Sexy.

“You look alright.”

“Thanks. Everyone ready to go?”

“Depends on if Tina whipped Dave's ass or
not.”

We walked in the living room to see Tina on
top of Dave. He was on his back with his arms stretched out. Tina's
chest was pressed right in his face while she had a hand on his
stomach.

“Alex!” he called. “I lost! Whatever will I
do!”

“Looks like you won to me.”

“Shhh! Don't tell
her
that!”

“Everybody ready?”

“Yes! Let's go get drunk!”

I gave Alicia a look as we all left the
apartment. Something was definitely wrong. We locked eyes for a
moment, and I could see the frustration there. Not with me, but
with Cindy. She gave me a smirk.

Typical Friday night driving into the city. I
drove my truck, Alicia her car. We could hear people on the
sidewalks, generally acting like idiots. Laughing, screaming,
drinking, fighting.

It felt great to hang out with my friends
again. Dave had me laughing at least twice a minute. Jenny was her
usual quiet self, but we talked for a few minutes about what was
going on in our lives. That guy she met at the club the last time
we were out didn't pan out, and her job was going okay. Tina, as
always, had her hands full putting up with Dave.

I paid my fifteen bucks and walked into the
club. People everywhere, of course. Loud music. Women wearing as
little clothing as possible. The guys floated around like wolves
looking for prey.

“Bar!” Dave shouted. He grabbed Tina's hand
and led her away. I laughed.

“Let's get a spot,” Jenny suggested.

We stopped near the corner of the club. That
way we could talk and the ladies could float out to dance if they
wanted.

It wasn't a terrible time, but something was
going on between Alicia and Cindy, and it was obvious. I left it
alone. I'd get it out of them eventually. They barely said three
words to each other. After about an hour there, and some alcohol
was flowing through Dave, Tina, and Jenny, the women made their way
to the dance floor. Only Alicia stayed behind. Dave and Tina were
doing some kind of distance flirting thing. It was like she was
dancing only for him. I know he loved it. He blew her kisses while
she licked her lips and danced with Jenny. I knew what he'd be
doing later.

I was glancing around the club, looking at
the sights, when my eyes fell on Cindy as she danced. She was
looking back at me, giving me a smile. She was amazing. The way she
danced, the way her clothes fit her, wow. I couldn't take my eyes
off her. My usual guilt settled in, but I still looked her up and
down, giving her a playful thumbs up. She knew I was watching, and
she didn't seem to mind. She actually gave me a small wave. Was it
my imagination, or was something happening a little past
friendship?

My heart stopped for a second. Was it
possible?

I felt a set of eyes on me. I turned to see
Alicia looking at me. In that one moment, she knew what was going
on, and I knew
she
knew. Sibling communication.

“You got the hots for Cindy,” she stated.

I opened my mouth, but didn't say anything.
My face was turning red, but I think the glow from all the lights
hid that.

“Alicia, don't tell her.”

“Well, why don't you?”

“Because we're friends.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“I don't know. It doesn't really matter.”

“Dammit, Alex. Why haven't you told me?”

“I don't know. I thought she was hot in
middle school. But what the hell are you supposed to do about that?
We've known each other since we were five. It's too weird.”

She shook her head, like she was disappointed
in me. I was surprised.

“What's on your mind?” I asked.

Before she could speak I noticed something
past her on the other side of the club. I saw a woman that I
recognized with her hand on a guy's hip. She was leaning into his
ear, whispering. Whatever she was saying, he liked it, as he was
all smiles.

It was Victoria.

The gorgeous redhead that tried to squeeze
the life out of me. The woman who threatened me right in the middle
of the club the last time I was there. The woman who asked me what
I was.

“Alex? What are you looking at?”

Cindy sneaked up on us. She put a hand on my
shoulder and slowly swayed back and forth.

“Hi guys. What's going on?”

I was distracted enough to put a hand on
Cindy's hip. I didn't even give it a second thought as her hand was
on my shoulder. I realized what I did and quickly pulled it away. I
think the red on my face was noticeable that time.

“Sorry.”

She smiled. “Accidents happen.”

It didn't even dawn on me that she didn't
remove it herself. My eyes were still locked on Victoria. I saw her
take the stranger's hand and start to walk away.

“I'll be right back,” I said.

Cindy followed my gaze and noticed who I was
looking at. “Ah! The redhead! So you
do
like her?”

“No. Just need to talk to her.” I looked at
Alicia. “And you two stop fighting and make up.”

“Don't forget. I owe you a dance.”

I kept my eyes on Victoria. I had to push my
way through some people to keep up with her. I saw her look back at
the stranger a few times with a flirty smile on her face. A far cry
from the woman who confronted me in the middle of the club all
those weeks ago.

My heart sank as I saw them head through a
side exit door. I knew that door led to the alley next to the club.
I only wanted a minute of her time, to see what her problem with me
was. My thought was she was psychic, and knew I was different. But
after we had our chat I'd have to reenter the club through the
front and push my way through everyone once again.

I threw open the exit door and walked
outside. Quite a difference stepping from a club to the night air.
I wiped some sweat off my head. I was actually a little creeped
out. The alley was dark. I could only see light coming from the
mouth of the alley, near the front of the club. Who knew what was
lurking in the shadows.

Then I remembered. I had demonic powers. What
the hell should I be afraid of?

I heard a noise behind me about twenty feet
away. I froze every muscle and held my breath. A quiet noise which
slowly got louder. It sounded like a man moaning. I thought it was
in pain for a moment. Then I realized it sounded like sex.

I took a few careful steps down the alley.
The moaning grew louder, followed by what sounded like sucking
noises that chilled me to the bone. It just didn't sound right.

The moaning was coming from behind a large
dumpster. The first thing I saw was a pair of legs sticking out
from behind the metal bin. Then I saw a shapely ass in a pair of
jeans straddling someone. The moaning hit a new level, and I knew
it had to be sex. But something was still wrong in the back of my
mind. Maybe it was the simple fact that it was in an alley, or the
fact that I saw only clothes, and no skin. But I had to keep
looking.

I recognized her from the back as Victoria.
She had her mouth clamped on the guy's neck she'd taken from the
club. I could see his face, and he was in heaven. His eyes were
shut and his legs shaking. Victoria didn't make a sound, which was
odd to me.

I saw a stream of blood flowing down the
stranger's neck.

“Hey!” I shouted. “What are you doing?”

Victoria whirled around. I wasn't prepared
for what I saw.

Her eyes were a bright red, throwing light
across the alley. Blood dripped down her mouth onto her chin. Two
large fangs stuck out of her mouth, about a half inch longer than
the rest of her teeth. She licked the blood from her lips with her
tongue, a motion that scared the shit out of me.

I didn't have time to react, although I admit
I have no idea what I would have done anyway. One second, I was
standing there watching her sitting on top of the stranger, who was
either unconscious or dead. The next second, I was slammed up
against the brick building behind me. She had one hand wrapped
around my throat, and I was a few inches off the ground. I had
trouble getting air.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she said.
Her long teeth made her speech slurred.

I was a split second away from vanishing when
some bright lights hit us from the front of the alley. She dropped
me to my knees. We both turned to see an unknown number of
silhouettes approaching us. I heard a whoosh through the air and
heard it stop right above me where Victoria stood. She fell to her
knees next to me, and I could see the arrow sticking out of her
chest. My jaw dropped. I had no clue what the hell was going
on.

“Hello?” I called, still trying to catch my
breath. “What's going-?”

I never finished. I was hit with a tazer, the
worst pain I ever felt in my entire life. My body shook
uncontrollably for a few seconds while the juice flowed through me.
Then I collapsed next to Victoria.

I heard voices before I drifted into
unconsciousness.

“...Are we clear?...”

“...Is he human?...”

“...Check his pulse...”

“...Help me lift her...fuckin' bitch...”

“...Too bad we can't fuck her first...”

“...Don't touch that damn arrow!...”

Then I was out.

I have no idea how long I was unconscious.
The first feeling I had when I opened my eyes was claustrophobia. I
was in total darkness in an uncomfortable position. I tried to sit
up and hit my head.

I was in the trunk of a car.

I tried to twist from my side so I could lay
on my back, and felt someone next to me. My hand touched a breast,
then an arrow.

Victoria.

I drew back quickly, although I had nowhere
to go. I couldn't see her, and that scared me even more. I held my
breath to see if I could hear her. The only thing I could hear was
the sound of the moving car I was in.

Then I heard voices. Very close. Had to be
the people in the car, the ones who killed Victoria and tazed
me.

“Did you see that bitch fall like Iraq?”

“Yeah. Good shot, Jones.”

“Thanks. Look, are you sure she's not gonna
go for our throats when we get there?”

Laughter. “This is your first time,
right?”

“Yeah.”