The Mark Of The Beast

9. We All Go A Little Mad Here POV: Shannon Alexis Chandler

The quarter moon looks like a neon twilight blue color. I've never seen the quarter moon look this way. The stars look less than usual and brighter sitting up there in the black sky. I lay here alone, on my side. Facing the sliding glass doors that I left open so I could see the balcony view outside. As I lay here thinking and replaying everything in my head from the moment I came too in my room. Trying to take it all in. I can't get my head wrapped around all of this. Trying to make myself process the bazaar conversation from earlier.

A gentle breeze blows in thru the open balcony door a companied by a wolf howl. It sounded close by instead of far off in the deep woods somewhere. It doesn't sound scary or haunting. I was told to just get used to hearing wolves and people howling around here. It's something werewolves do a lot of. According to Braidyn, werewolves are into "Growling, howling, eating and f*****g like Jack rabbit's." Especially male werewolves. Mad Max says the female's werewolves are still werewolves but just a bit more evolved than the males are on any occasion if dont watch them. Something resembling Khyzer's eyes flashes across the moon. I sat up to get a better look but the flash was gone in an instant just as quickly as it appeared. There was no mistake. I know those eyes and their glowing shade of baby blue. The flashback of that night at spectators when my eyes met Khyzer's eyes for the first time ever. More flashbacks dance across my mind of Khyzer's eyes giving me that stare. That stare can see through me to my soul I swear. Khyzers presence in a room is some intense s**t, more so than any of the others I've met so far. I just don't know why he has to be so damn hot. I think I can hear him sizzle when he's in my personal space. Max says that isn't sounds of sizzling, he's just probably in a good mood and I dont want to know What sounds I might hear when Khyzer is in a bad mood.

Nothing else happened so I decided to lay back down and snuggle into my pillow. Alone with nothing but the quiet and my thoughts in Khyzer's bedroom in his bed. I guess he doesn't come in much at night or sleep much for that matter. I haven't been here long at all but that's the way it's been since I've been here. I don't know if he sleeps elsewhere or what. I guess Im grateful for the respect and consideration to let me stay in his bed alone. If the situation and circumstances were different, maybe being cuddle buddies wouldn't a bad thing. It's something I could stand to try at least once. I think it's probably for the best to try to keep this strictly business as much as possible. Nothing beyond platonic till this whole thing is finally over with or I either wake up in a padded room wearing a straight jacket. Just drooling all down myself and it's probably the most likely, logical, practical, and sane-sounding way this will end that I've come up with.

First of all, I'm possessed. They say no I'm not. That I am just a vessel right now. I was possessed when I blacked out Friday and came too in my room at my parent's house. Im a vessel for a chaos demon called Dahlia. She is no Persephone or anything. Chaos demons are ranked pretty low I guess. They can however cause a lot of anarchy and very bad, bad things to happen. Chaos demons feed off of Chaos. They are dormant in their earthly vessel when they get full or satisfied pretty much or when blood mages do magic to try to keep them contained abd inactive as much as possible. Regular table salt can trap them in somewhere like a room or a structure. Salt also can keep Chaos demons out of things like rooms and structures. That whole salt across doorways theory is for real. As well as that circle of salt on the floor like on supernatural works for real.

Chaos demons are short-tempered and have a 6th sense. They can sense a human being's true nature, their hidden intentions, they see what very bad sins a person has committed and intends to commit again. The Devil doesn't just let Chaos demons go roaming about freely. Apparently, the Devil doesn't let any demons go roaming about freely, and thats why they escape if they can or they have to be summoned or sent by the Devil.

Let me tell you how insulted I am. They actually think I did some satanic ritual or something. They think I summoned a demon from hell. They think that's how I am the vessel because that is how it works normally. I did no such thing. Im no satanist and I don't know anyone who is into that kind of stuff. Chaos demons can jump from one person to another within a certain range. That's their second theory and all they have to go on at this point. Dahlia may have jumped from the summoner to me since I claim I didn't summon any dammed demon. I have a feeling these "werewolves" are going to find out what exactly did happen and who in due time. It's like my brain is on overload or something as it tries to keep up and adjust to everything that has come about in a very short period. Ever tried to adjust and accept all the fiction that is suddenly non-fiction. The Holy Bible, well I guess at this point there is no questioning any of it is real or not. If the devil is the one who sent Khyzer and his pack after Dahlia then that makes the Devil real. I assume that means God is real. If there are demons the there must be angels like Gabriel and Micheal too. Im just barely scratching the surface of it all. There is more.

Im surrounded by werewolves. Werewolves exist too. As real as I am really crazy lately. They're all werewolves. Khyzer is the alpha wolf. He is the one who is large and in charge around here. Also, another reason why I don't it would be a good idea to be entertaining thoughts about how hot Khyzer is. Your gonna love this though, vampires are real too. How about that, huh. Some vampires are blood mages and they practice blood magic. Being that they are mages they probably practice magic in general from the way it sounded but blood magic is set apart from regular magic.

I had to tell Khyzer and Mad Max and Braidyn about blacking out Friday. That's when the chaos demon entered me, that would be what the painful burning, and suffocating feeling that caused me to go unconscious was

Then while I was unconscious the demon was in control and I think terrible things must have gone down. worse than that thing that happened and caused the bar to catch fire. There are security videos that don't incriminate me as far as human cops and fire marshalls are gonna find because they won't ever think the accelerant is me. Besides they don't have any idea what they are really dealing with as far as human perception and laws are concerned and they will never put two and two together on that level. They don't know anything is possible, literally because they will think that's completely crazy and impossible. They will conduct the usual thorough arson investigation without knowing what fire the starter was or who is responsible. So Im getting out of going to prison for anything but the security footage didn't help my case much when it came to werewolves looking for the demon vessel.

I don't look good at 2-3 different places if we're going by what's on security recordings. I entered and I exited a short time after the places were ablaze. I think some people got hurt. Ok, I don't think as much as I know it's a fact, people did get hurt. Not just hurt but people are dead from the looks of things. I have no idea how many people in which fires. I don't even know how many fires in total I dont remember starting. There was an abandoned building that burned with squatters, squatting in it at the time but they don't know how many or if anybody was home or not. It took a long time to get the flames out. Then there was nothing left. They haven't finished searching for any remains yet or investigating so they don't know any more other than an abandoned building caught fire and burned to the ground leaving nothing but ashes. All the dates and time stamps on the security footage at 3 different locations were dated and timed between Friday night and Monday night when I regained consciousness at home in my room. When the Remington-Arms penthouse caught fire. I'm was on the cameras entering the building with some guys I don't recall ever meeting before. I don't think I know anyone who lives at The Remington-Arms. My dad plays golf with Mr. Cavanaugh that owns The Remington-Arms. Mr. Cavanaugh has like 7 children. His son Sloane and I have been friends since middle school. We were in the same grade through 12th-grade graduation. The Cavanaughs have a lot of property like The Remington-Arms, they rent luxury apartments and penthouses and condos, etc. to upscale tenants that are rich and can afford such ritzy living. They have several properties in this state and like thirty-four other states too, or something like that. I've never been inside a penthouse at The Remington-Arms that I can recall. I can't recall going to the penthouse or those men in suits either. I can't deny I was there because I saw the footage myself. I saw me, with this die job that I have now and wearing the clothes I woke up in my room wearing. I saw those men and I walk into that building. Four grown men wearing expensive suits and ties. Nice clean cut and clean-shaven type of men.

We all entered The Remington-Arms and got on the same elevator at the same time as the 4 men and it looked like I was interacting with them as if I had met them. It sure looked as if we were all talking and joking. So the hell happened. There was more than one security camera at The Remington-Arms. There was a camera on the floor where those four men and I exited the elevator on the same floor where one of the men must have lived in the penthouse. One man let us all in with a key card. Those four men did not leave with me when the footage shows me leaving. I was alone and the place was on fire.

I instantly feel sick to my stomach just like I instantly got sick to my stomach when I was watching the footage for myself. The worst part is I can't believe I can't recall any of it. The four men didn't exit the penthouse at all before the security cameras lost signal because of the fire. So it's not likely they did anything but burn to death. I'm the one responsible for if they burned to death. Khyzer says not technically. Technically Dahlia is responsible but it doesn't make me feel any better. My chest feels tight again and I have to breathe in deep breaths to get the oxygen to my lungs then exhale deeply too. My vision is blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. I just left them to burn if they weren't dead already from what I understand I may have killed them before I left and just walked out without a care. I assume I didn't try to get them any help or tell anybody they didn't make it out safely either. If you believe in God and the devil and stuff then the Holy Bible says I'm going to hell for murder. I remember learning the commandment at Sunday class when I was little and "Thou Shalt Not Kill." is one of the commandments. I feel the warm stream from my eyes, but the warm faded to cool quickly but I wiped my face with my hand. I feel my nostril start to clog up. My sniffles let me know I would have to blow my nose soon. I started trying to focus on stopping my tears.

I had to shake off the thoughts of me on all that security footage for the millionth time. I've been emotional since having that sit down with Khyzer and Mad Max and Braidyn.

The one called Mad Max, She's been nice and making sure I'm as comfortable as I can be given the circumstances. She also said to let her or Khyzer or Braidyn know if any of the male werewolves come at me with any unwanted attention or anything like that.

She said "even if Alpha Khyzer forces his attention and affections on me to just tell her so and she will tear him a new asshole"...uh, wow! I was like "Ok..." looking at her all wide-eyed and dumbfounded. She is the female I've met, there are others I saw but was not introduced to them yet. I didn't have any interaction with them yet. One looked young like a teenager and Khyzer said she was his daughter. She came to the glass door of the room where I was being questioned and was shown the surveillance footage I was on from the places that burned down.

The other female looked like she was about 30-ish in age range, give or take. She had a bob hair cut died purple. Her ears had 3 ear piercings in both lobes also 3 piercing up top in both ears. She had a chocolate milk complexion and she was tall and thin but was well-toned. She really could have been a model truthfully. She had the prettiest eyes I've ever seen anyone have. They were aquamarine-colored. The 2 times I saw her she had a cheerful voice when she spoke to Khyzer and a smile like the sunrise. Both times she gave me a nod and a smile, acknowledging my presence after she greeted Khyzer. She seems to be always using the biggest size Ipad that Apple makes, showing Khyzer whatever it is on the Ipad screen he needs to see. He just looks at it and gives her a yes or no then hands it to her and she exits the room, giving me a small wave and smile on her way out the door.

Max is pretty too, shook like she is of a Colombian origin or she tans real dark like. She isn't as tall as the woman with purple hair but she is taller than me for sure and has girl's abs. I have seen when she said she came straight from the gym and she had on on a white Everlast sports bra and matching gym shorts. She has muscular arms and shoulders like a boxer. Her hair is shiny black and looks so soft. She wears the same hairstyle as Lara croft, the long braid hanging down her back. Max's braid length is almost down to her butt in length. I haven't seen Max wear any makeup. Like the others, She doesn't need it. Female werewolves don't look like they need make-up or anything. The werewolves seem to be good-looking and well built and anything but ugly if you ask me.

I roll over so Im laying on my other side and facing toward the bathroom. The bathroom door is all the way open. The bedroom and bathroom lights are switched off the only light to see by, is the moonlight and the fluorescent night light plugged into the plugin between the sink counter and the mirror Above it on the wall. Khyzer says this is his bed master bedroom and Im welcome to make myself at home like this my room for as long as I have to stay here. Supposedly the devil paid in some way shape or form to have Dahlia captured and returned. They said if they take me back now and the devil pulls Dahlia out of me then Dahlia will drain my life essence. That pretty much means it would be my funeral. The reasoning behind this is if they want to take the demon back to the devil without sending the lamb to the slaughter. Then it prolongs the demons stay up here till they figure out a way that doesn't involve my life essence being able to be drained. It guarantees I'm not going to be taken near the gates of hell and the devil won't get his demon as long as my life essence is at stake. The image came floating back in my mind as I heard Khyzer words in my inside my head. "Unless you don't mind at all then if you want to be a dead woman walking, we can take you back right now. Otherwise, Im figuring you would rather us come up with a solution that doesn't leave you lifeless. Just let me know whenever you decide how you want to do this." His smugness was a dead giveaway that there wasn't a choice to be made and he had me by the balls, in a way.

"Well, he'll no! I don't want to go to die! Duh!" Being a smart ass about it, yes I was.

Out of instinct and natural self-preservation. While he sat there looking at me intently studying me. Never taking his eyes off of me, not even to blink. Like he was trying to memorize every little thing his eyes could spy. Maybe learn my body language and expressions. I blurted out "I already told you I don't mess with any kind of devil worship or, cult crap! I didn't summon any demon or anything like that! I am in this mess involuntarily! So I don't want my life drained as I just dont want to be a demon vessel! I would love to just give the demon back to the devil but dont want to die! Im not Jesus I don't want to die for the greater good of anyone else much less die for anyone else's sins and f**k ups!" I snapped. Then quickly try to recover with a softer tone "Just saying." I still sounded like a total b***h but what was I suppose to say.

I feel like the shittiest person but, it is how I felt even with regard for the one I probably burned to a crisp. My Declaration of how I don't want to die still stands that's just how I feel about it.

I huffed and rolled over on my back scowling at the ceiling. Fighting the urge to cry more. When I asked Khyzer where is he gonna sleep if I stay in his room, he was short about his answer. "This is my room and I'll sleep in my room. When I do sleep." Then I woke up to find him stretched across the foot of the bed on his stomach wearing a pair of basketball shorts and that was it. He fell face forward and was out like a light right after sun up. Khyzers snoring is what woke me this morning. He wasn't here when I fell asleep.

His king-size bed is big enough that there is plenty of room for both of us without touching. So I managed to slip out of bed and off to the bathroom without disturbing Khyzer. I had to pee and change from my sleep shorts to a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra and T-shirt replaced the spaghetti strap I slept in the night before. I slipped on my monster feet house shoes. I was going to go find some breakfast or someone I know to help me find breakfast. When I came out of the bathroom, headed around the bedroom corner to go out of the bedroom door I turned around to take one more glance at Khyzer. Not only is he so nice to look at but It was oddly quiet in the room. When my eyes scanned over the room then to Khyzer as I looked back at the bed. My sights found eyes, baby blue and glowing as if they were alive with electricity that swallowed me whole with the intensity in them. He was still laying on his stomach but his head was turned to face me and his eyes were open. He was silent for a few moments. I jumped a little to my surprise when my eyes landed on his open eyes. Finally, he spoke gruffly with a hint of demanding. "Now, where are you going?"

I shift my weight from one foot to another and started playing with these famous fingernails I didn't have before I was supposedly possessed. "Uhm...I was just going...to find some food. I didn't mean to wake you. I was just gonna make myself scarce since I'm starving and let you sleep." I felt a little nervous for some reason and self consciously start fixing the waistband of my yoga pants as I rambled on explaining myself."I don't think you have slept hardly the past few days, that I know of. I wasn't expecting you be laying there like-"

"Like what?" Anticipation heavy in his voice and his eyes flashed with that familiar something I haven't figured out yet what the something is but I have a feeling my answer matters somehow but don't know how or why.

I didn't expect to be awakened by Alpha Khyzer snoring at the foot of the bed like a golden retriever. "Your just face down. Like you just slept where you fell because you were really tired, and like I said I don't think you have hardly slept since I've been here anyway...."

I heard a growl emit from him and I shut up immediately. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled in a huff. Then slowly opened his eyelids again the electric baby blue glow made me shiver and I felt tingles and warming sensations spread through my veins like my heart was pumping it through my whole body. It reached my core between my legs. I shifted my stance trying to ward off the urge to squirm in his sight.

He closed his eyes again and a growl/groan escaped him and I could see him struggling to calm his breathing. After the longest minute ever, Khyzer opened his eyes. He pushed up from the bed to stand and stretch. "Ok. Let me take a piss" he paused, yawning. "I'll take you and show you where the kitchen is and make breakfast," he said Sauntering into the bathroom. I nodded in agreement. He left the door cracked but I couldn't see him from where I stood because of where the toilet is in the bathroom and it's not visible from here. I can't see him but I can hear it, followed by the toilet flushing and then water running from the sink faucet. When the sound of running water stopped, a moment later he sauntered out of the bathroom. "Ok, let's go." he half-heartedly demanded pointing to the bedroom door. "Hopi-Doh Spitfire." He didn't bother to put on a shirt He was still in just ball shorts clearly free balling also. "huh? what Hopi-doh mean?" I asked curiously as I didn't know what it meant. Khyzer chuckled but playfully with sarcasm intended "It means, Go. Now." he answered. I looked at him with raised eyebrows but didn't say anything. He spared me a glance and sighed "I was serious." he said. So I did hop, jump and skip the rest of the way to the door. I opened it and waited till he strutted into the wide hallway coursing left directly after stepping out of his bedroom. I followed strolling a step behind since I didn't know the way to where we were going and this place is just huge. "So what was that?" he was amused by whatever "That" was.

"what was what?" I said wrinkling my nose and my eyebrows to make an I don't know what your talking about-face.

Khyzer sighed. "That hopping and skipping thing you did till all way to the door then stopped to walk normally since we came out of my bedroom." He said still amused and plagued by curiosity.

He made me feel a little insecure by asking me about it but do I answered with the first thing that popped in my head. "Idk, must have been excitement," I stated shrugging my shoulders.

"Excellent. About what?" sounding as if his curiosity just peeked and he looks at me with anticipation for my answer in his puzzled expression.

"We are going to where there is breakfast food...well that's where you said we are going. To the kitchen." I said keeping in stride with Khyzer as we walked along the hallway.

"You hoping and skipping excitedly because we are going to the kitchen to have breakfast?" He looked at me and observed my expression as I answered like he wanted to see if he could pick up on some kind of clue.

"yeah I'm hungry and I like breakfast any time of the day. I eat breakfast for dinner a lot...and I was excited I wasn't going by myself after all since I don't know my way around so I wouldn't have known where to go." I paused but Khyzer didn't say anything so I continued. 'Plus you don't seem to be grouchy or anything about me waking you up so you had to get up and take me to the kitchen." I rambled nervously. Oh my God...Why am I so nervous. Stop before you make an ass out of yourself Shannon. I mentally scold myself.

"Ha!" Khyzer sarcastically scoffed unexpectedly making me jump out of my skin a little. "If you were really worried about me being a dickhead because you woke up hungry this morning. I don't know why you were worried. What is there to be an asshole about? Next time just wake me and tell me what you want or need. Don't just go wandering off. You will get lost and find yourself in a mess of trouble." Khyzer started seriously enough and I said ok before he continued to talk. "Don't put yourself in harm's way because you worried about waking me. Werewolves...well we can be very dangerous. Your just human so werewolves are more of the deadly kind of danger since you can die really easily." Khyzer informed in a matter-of-fact tone that I didn't dare argue with.

"Ok, got it," I said in understanding as we exited the hallway through double French doors in a room big room with a vaulted ceiling. In the center of the room just a few steps from the French doors that enter the hallway leading to Khyzer's bedroom. On the opposite side of the wide staircase other French doors with another hallway behind them. There was a railing stretching from the top of the staircase around the room in a big square. There were more french doors and a few regular doors but I dont know where any of them go too. Khyzer started heading down the stairs and I followed.

Once we reached the bottom of the staircase There were two big double doors a few feet directly in front of the staircase. Khyzer pointed to the left of the room halfway between the stairs and the big double doors were a wide open door way and I could see the corner of a countertop with what looked like a cabinet and drawer beneath it. There was a matching wall cabinet above the counter as well.

Since I hopped down the last four steps of the stairs, landing both feet flat on the ground floor. I decided to hop-scotch it in the direction Khyzer was pointing through the open doorway. Khyzer looked at me taken aback by my bunny behavior as we entered the kitchen. I looked at him and threw my hands up in the air. "What?" I asked but he just shook his head and smirked then he said "Will you get your ass in here and park it somewhere already. Preferably on one of those stools or there are plenty of chairs at the table." without sounding rude or demanding. He kept smirking and gave a little nod to nudge me in the direction of a big island counter with stools on this side of it for sitting at the island counter. Khyzer made his way around the counter and fridge gathering and placing breakfast food ingredients on the island counter along with needed dishes and pans. Then Khyzer set to making breakfast while I watched. I offered to help but he declined then said "Ms. Chandler Im not under any impression that you know your way around a kitchen." That remark earned him a mean look from me with my finger pointed at him. He chuckled in amusement but I dont know much about cooking other than the instructions on a Kraft box or something like that. Cooking isn't something I've had the pleasure of doing much of. My parents pay somebody to do all the cooking.