At last, I have found you. Granddaughter of the Fire Deva.
Pax was sleeping when she heard the booming voice echoing in her mind. It was an unfamiliar masculine baritone. She would have ignored it as a figment of her imagination, or a random creation of her dreams, if not for what happened next.
A sledgehammer was smashed down onto her chest. The heavy iron mallet knocked the breath out of her, and her eyelids flung themselves open in shock. A demon with massive teeth was grinning down at her with copious saliva dripping from its pointed teeth. The fluid was a vivid red color, contrasting sharply with the creature’s yellowed fangs. It looked as though it had just feasted on small busload of people. When Pax felt the warm saliva dripping down onto her lips, she knew it was real. She tried to punch her fist into the demon’s face, but she could not move. She mentally cursed, pressing her lips tightly together so that she would not taste the creature’s bloody saliva.
Now, now, dear. Lie still and be willing.
Pax realized that it was not a sledgehammer that had connected with her chest, but the creature’s massive hand. She winced as its sharp claws began digging into her breasts, puncturing directly through between the bones of her ribcage. Pax used her mind to pick up the largest piece of furniture in the room (a massive dresser with eight drawers) and she slammed it directly into the creature’s back. The demon began to cackle as the wooden missile splintered apart against his back as though she had tossed dandelions.
I am outside of the physical dimension, young fire maiden. You cannot harm me.
She felt sharp searing pain permeate her chest as the demon’s claws clenched around her heart. Who are you? What do you want? Pax mentally screamed. She feared for Amara who was sleeping in the next room. Since beginning their plan of revenge, Pax had decided to move in with Amara for the time being. The blonde woman was not strong enough to take on a demon of this caliber. Amara could already have been killed.
Your heart has been weakened, fire maiden. I have come to feed upon the holes in your soul. Your power seeps out through the wounds—ah, yes! You are a delicious leaky pipe from which I can suck.
Pax began to move another piece of furniture, but then she realized that it was useless. Instead, she concentrated on the air itself around the demon. So you’re here to suck my power? Pax asked, piercing the creature with her dark eyes. Her fingers twitched as she lay frozen on the bed, imagining the air around the demon compressing and boiling. As she imagined it, she forced the atmosphere to bend to her will, and was gratified when the demon began gasping. More of its red saliva dripped down onto her cheeks and nose as the creature struggled.
Beginning to feel a smug sense of victory, Pax used her mind to push the creature away from her body until its hand exited her chest. The crushing pain on her heart eased. You don’t know anything about my power. Better luck next time.
I know all there is to know. You are the weakest of the half-breed devas, and the power leaking from you is too precious to forfeit. Your energy comes from a place of purity, and you have already allowed filth inside! Now, it is only left for us to suck you dry. Night after night, little by little.
Uh huh. Pax smiled as she concentrated and rotated her wrist to violently crush the demon’s skull. And I’m just going to sit around and watch while you stick your claws in me. Very likely.
Red saliva poured down onto Pax’s face as the demon writhed. Even if I fail, they will send another incubus to you at night!
Pax felt a small wave of delight in having gained the upper hand. She enjoyed the cracking sound as she twisted the demon’s limbs. Who do you work for?
I am sent by the Asura.
A chill ran through her. The thrill of torturing the demon disappeared as terror flooded her shoulders. The Asura had attacked her family several times in her youth, always with calamitous results.
Not smiling now, are you? the demon asked. We have already planted the seeds of destruction in your lover. Oh, the young prince of devas is so easy to manipulate! How quickly he falls from grace and tumbles from his throne.
Pax stopped struggling with the demon abruptly. What about Thorn? What did you do to him? She completely forgot that she was angry at the blond man as she worried for his safety. The Asura had been responsible for the death of her grandfather. The awful rival demigods were just as powerful as her own ancestors and the Kalgrens.
Nothing is beyond the Asura. They will destroy all the remaining devas, beginning with you.
Feeling her anger return, Pax glared at the creature boldly. Bring it on. I’ll take all of them on at once.
The incubus lunged forward with a piercing shriek. Its claws dug back into Pax’s chest and began crushing her heart. When Pax began to gasp desperately for air, the creature snickered. You are weak to the call for vengeance, fire maiden. Even if we cannot fully suck the power from your soul, we can make it our own. We will steal the goodness from your heart, and replace it with anger. Soon you will join us.
Bet you ten bucks I won’t.
What?
Pax closed her eyes and clenched her fists, unleashing a wave of hot energy into the creature. Its body began to stretch and distort while its eyes bugged out monstrously. Finally, it disintegrated. Quite suddenly, Pax found that she could move again.
Her vision cleared, and it was rather like awakening. She sat up abruptly and immediately began to unbutton her pajama top. She looked down at her chest, and saw no claw marks. She rubbed her fingers over the smooth skin in confusion. Looking across the room, she saw that all the furniture was intact. It had just been a dream.
She exhaled as she tried to clear the intense images and emotions from her mind. The nightmare had been unusually realistic. It was surely born of the guilt from using magick to create Para. She lifted her hands to cup her face, sliding her fingers under her bangs and massaging her scalp. It still surprised her how short her hair was. Everything the creature said had been false. If there were any Asura remaining, they certainly had no interest in her. She was mostly human, and hardly a threat. She was hardly of importance on the hierarchy of power in the world.
Yet it made sense that performing the spell to create Para would attract the Asura. It made sense that such a massive output of energy would seduce her enemies into sending demons to mess with her already messed up head, and play on her weaknesses. It made sense, but it was not real. It had just been a nightmare.
Pax flung the covers off her legs and levitated out of bed. She picked up her purse, and dug for her phone. Although it was the middle of the night, she speed-dialed her father. He was in a different time zone, on the other side of the world. When there was no response, she closed her eyes and tried to contact him with her mind.
Papa? she asked, searching for him.
Paxie! How’s life in America?
It’s fine, she responded. I just had a nightmare about the Asura.
I’m sorry, sweetie. It was just a dream—don’t worry. I’m training with Sakra, and we would know if there was any trouble amiss.
Pax immediately felt better. Thanks, Papa.
Is everything else good? No exciting news for your old man?
Nothing important is happening, Pax answered.
How’s Thorn doing? That boy still treating you well?
Pax lowered her chin miserably, grateful that her father couldn’t see her facial expressions. Yes. Everything is fine. I have to go now. I love you, Papa.
Take care, kiddo.
Rubbing her hands along her arms to ease the gooseflesh created from her nightmare, Pax exited her room and walked into the corridor. Her bare feet padded against the ground gently as she headed to the bathroom, intending to soothe herself with a hot shower. She flicked on the bathroom lights and looked at her face in the mirror.
There was a spot of red liquid smeared on her chin. Pax frowned, reaching up with two fingers to wipe off the smudge. She used her thumb and forefinger to test the sticky consistency of the liquid before bringing it to her nose to sniff it. Blood and saliva.
In a panic, she exited the bathroom and ran down the hallway to Amara’s master bedroom. Throwing the door open, she saw the small blonde girl curled up in her bed. Pax ran over to her friend and wiped the gunk off her hands before feeling Amara’s neck for a pulse.
“Paxie?” Amara mumbled in her sleep. “What gives?”
Pax breathed a sigh of relief. Amara was completely unharmed. “I had a nightmare,” she told her friend. “There was this demon with bloody saliva, and then I thought I found some of it on my chin…”
“Was just a dream, silly,” Amara said sleepily. “You probably bit your lip.”
“That was probably it,” Pax said, nodding, “but he mentioned the Asura…”
“You can sleep here if you’re freaked out,” Amara suggested.
Pax normally would have been too prideful to accept an offer like this, but she was not only afraid for herself. “Thanks, Mara,” she said, climbing into the gigantic bed with her friend.
“Remember, we have to do Para stuff tomorrow,” Amara said with a yawn. “You need to get more sedatives to make her seem more weak and human.”
“Sure. I will.” Pax was having difficulty thinking about Para at the moment. The dream was still haunting her. She lay on her back and crossed her arms, imagining the demon and trying to remember the things it had said, even though they were slipping away. The chilling aftermath was beginning to fade, and she realized that she had been foolish to believe it was real. The memories were all becoming hazy as they were overpowered by the onset of new dreams.