Chapter 4 - Jaed
1279 Words
Well, I managed to get Michael to bring me with him, but at what cost? He practically ignores me. He doesn’t talk to me unless it is necessary, and even then it’s short and to the point. I don’t know why my aura isn’t working, but I figured the only way to have a chance with him was to be near him. I couldn’t do that if I was stuck at that place. And once I made the decision to force him to allow me to go with him, I couldn’t back out.
I look out over the city. The view from the balcony here is quite nice. And the setting sun has turned the earth to red tones. I can almost believe I'm in Helis.
It is beautiful, you have to admit.
I never understood the fascination Kadis had with Earth. I really only came here for pets, but I think he actually enjoyed staying here. Me on the other hand, I spent most of my time in Helis.
I can hear Michael talking on the phone. I turn to watch him through the glass door. He’s been contacting everyone he knows for any updates on Jane. What went on? Zean said something about Kadis and what he did. It sounded like it was something serious. But you can never tell with daemons, or whatever he is. They tend to think everything demons do is a crime. How can they blame us, we are what we are. We do, what we do, it’s our nature. We cannot change what we are.
What about Michael?
An obsession, nothing more. I can’t lie to myself that it could be anything more than that. Kinda like marking a pet. I can lust after a human, but all the human will be is a toy. I can want him, but anything more is impossible. Demons and daemons are too far on the spectrum. The proverbial Good versus Evil. But sometimes ‘evil’ can get the ‘good’ to stray a little bit. Michael has already shown me that he has the potential to do just that. It’s just taking the time to convince him to come a little farther my way.
A lot of time, considering your aura doesn’t work on him.
A challenge, for sure. But, it’s not like I have anything better to do right now. Plus, I need to find out what is going on before I can go back to Helis. I don’t remember what happened, but a sense of foreboding comes over me whenever I think about Mikkas. I really want to know what happened, but frankly the thought of portalling home scares the s**t out of me. It’s frustrating, because I can feel the tickle of fear following me. I know it’s irrational. I am a demon, nothing should scare me.
What about The Box? That scares you.
My head starts to ache at the thought. Coldness engulfs me. My legs don’t want to work and I almost fall with the effort to go back inside. The world suddenly feels dark. I feel exposed out here. Nothing seems to have changed, but I know something is out there, waiting for me to take a step out of the light.
No! I won’t go back to the dark!
I flail blindly at the balcony door. I know as soon as I turn my back something will grab me.
Where is the damn handle?!
The pool of light that I’m standing in seems pathetic against the encroaching darkness. It gets dimmer and dimmer and all I can do is watch it come for me. I squeeze my eyes as it constricts my chest.
“Jaed?”
Angel
I gulp for air like a drowning man. The pain in my chest is gone and I risk opening my eyes. Michael is standing over me, a frown stamped on his face. The darkness has receded and the light has returned to normal. I scramble back until I can feel the balcony door behind me. I try to look everywhere at once.
“Wh… Where did it go?”
Michael glances around and then crouches next to me. His voice is soft, “There’s nothing there. Are you ok?”
I don’t believe him and I try to look past him.
“I… I... “
There WAS something there, right?
“I…”
“Let’s get you inside.”
Michael pulls me up and my legs turn to rubber, pulling both of us off balance. Grunting in effort to keep us from tumbling, he loops my arm around his shoulder and grabs me around the waist. He practically carries me to the couch and drops me onto it. Once I’m sitting he goes to the kitchen and I can hear him run some water. I can’t take my eyes off of the window. I’m afraid to. Michael’s form stands in front of me and blocks the view of the balcony. He holds a glass of water out for me to take. His voice sounds curt.
“Here, it’ll help.”
As I take a few sips, he grabs a kitchen chair and places it in front of me. Turning it backwards he straddles it and folds his arms across the back. I can’t look at him, so I stare at the glass in my hands. I feel ashamed. I don’t want to see the pity on his face. He sees me as a coward, I know it.
You are a coward. Look at you, scared of the dark. Like he would ever want a demon, much less one like you. Damaged and scared.
“Jaed?”
What can I do? Nothing. I can’t control my fear. I turn away in shame. I can hear the chair creak as Michael shifts in it. He clears his throat.
“I think it’s time I told you what happened. Maybe it’ll help you understand what is happening in your head right now. But I’m afraid to have you relapse and have an episode like you did before. Like Zean said, it can cause you to be overwhelmed and your brain will essentially shut down.”
He leans forward and touches my knee with his fingertips. I can hear the pity in his voice and move my leg so he can’t touch it. I don’t need his sympathy. It’s even worse than his rejection. He sighs heavily, pulls his hand away, and continues.
“But it’s the only way I know how to help you.”
He tells me about Jane, Kadis, and some fae that helped me escape, and how I was in a coma for weeks.
“Help me escape from where?”
I was so engrossed with the story, that I forgot about my shame. I look up at Michael and regret it immediately, as I see the pity reflected in his eyes.
“The Box.”
I feel the couch open up and swallow me. My brain feels like it’s on fire. I can’t catch my breath and the world turns dark.
NO! Not again!
Dropping to my knees, I scream into the blackness surrounding me, and silence echoes back.
- Writer
