“Seriously, Katie. I need to know. What the fuck were those things?” His tone was a little desperate.
I shrugged. “I dunno what the fuck you’re talking about. Maybe it’s just your conscience.”
“Tell me, you fucking bitch!” He reached out to grab me. I dodged easily, and fulfilled my promise from earlier of evening out his black eyes. I must have prayed to Seth in the back of my mind, because I saw him appear, glamour in place, as Jonathon tried to tackle me. I dodged again, spinning and sweeping his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard.
“Hiya, Katie. You good?” Seth drawled as he swaggered closer.
“Hey, Seth. Yeah, I’m good. How have you been?”
“Never better. Oop, watch out, the worm is trying to walk.” Jonathon was climbing to his feet, his face contorted with rage.
“What, you here to protect her or some shit? From what?” His voice was acid.
Seth laughed. “Oh, she does not need me to protect her. When she hasn’t been roofied, anyway. I’m just here for the show.”
“You! You were there! You’re one of those things! What the fuck are you?” Jonathon approached Seth, studying him closely. Seth smiled his lazy smile, and for an instant, switched his glamour to the horrifying visage the others had shown Jonathon on the weekend. Jonathon scrambled back so hard he fell on his arse.
“Katie! You had to have seen that!” He pleaded with me.
“Seen what? Stay the fuck away from me, you crazy bastard.” I snarled at him.
Seth slung his arm across my shoulders, and waved a mocking wave as we walked away, saying loudly to me, “I told you he wasn’t good enough for you.” After a little while he added gently, taking his arm off my shoulders, “You had him, dear one. You didn’t need me.”
I grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze, letting it go again and saying, “Yeah, I guess the logical side of my brain knew that. But the scared little girl side called you anyway.” I offered a shy smile. We reached my house, and he took me by the shoulders and looked at me seriously.
“I’m here, whenever you call, Katie. I’ll never wait again. You have my oath.” His face was the most earnest I had ever seen it.
“Thank you.” I said genuinely. Then I added, “Feel free to wait a little while though. I mean, long enough to put some clothes on is just fine.” I eyed him up and down as I walked towards my door. He laughed at me and called out, “Oh, no, dear one. You call me, you risk calling all of me.”
“Guess I’ll be calling Sera from here on out then!”
He grinned and disappeared.
Eleven.
It was another couple of months before the Enforcers came for me again. I had trained hard over that time, and I was starting to get good. I didn’t panic this time when they appeared out of nowhere in the bush while I was walking Rufus. I bent down and unclipped his lead, allowing him to bolt away in terror, without taking my eyes off the demons. I drew two of the knives that I had started to carry hidden on my body, and said, without a waver in my voice (which I was so proud of), “Hear me, Luciferian Lords! I Katie, Familiar of your Sect, require your help!”
The Enforcers snarled and came at me. I threw the knives I was holding, embedding both in their guts, and turned and ran, drawing my favourite double bladed knife as I moved. Sera, Seth, Sebastian and Chris appeared in front of me. I ran behind them, then turned to face the approaching demons.
“Keep running, dickhead!” Sebastian yelled at me.
“No fucking way. What if there’s more waiting up ahead?” I retorted.
“You guys, we should show her that thing.” Chris suggested.
Sera snorted. “Are we sure she wouldn’t use it on us?”
“She wouldn’t.” Seth asserted quietly.
“I trust her.” Sebastian added.
“Yeah, I guess I do too.” Sera admitted. “Alright, let’s do it. Seth with me, Sebastian and Chris run distraction.”
“I outrank you, sister.” Sebastian reminded her, but did as she said anyway.
They fought, and soon Sera and Seth had subdued one of the demons, while the others distracted the other. “Katie! Over here!” Sera panted. I complied, knife in hand, watching carefully to make sure the demon didn’t break free. “Carve your initials in his face.” She commanded. I blinked at her, and the demon went absolutely wild.
“Quickly!” Seth shouted at me. Confused, I complied.
I was shocked to see my friends let him go, and I adopted a defensive posture. He sank to his knees, and bowed his head before me. “My Queen.” He grovelled. “Please let me serve you, my Queen.”
I looked at my friends, confused. Seth smirked. “Command him.”
“Command him to do what?”
Sera spread her hands. “Whatever you want.”
I looked at the demon in front of me. “Kill your companion.” I told him.
He grinned gleefully at me, and sprang to his feet. Sebastian and Chris moved away from the other one, and “my” demon attacked him. They fought briefly but viciously. “My” demon was killed, and the other one came towards me. Chris moved to protect me, and Sebastian stopped him. “Katie’s got this one.” He spoke confidently, glancing at the others.
“I’m not sure that she does!” I argued. My friends just grinned at me.
The demon was injured, and I was a lot faster. It wasn’t long before I found an opening and sliced its throat open, covering myself with hot blood. I grinned ferally at my friends as it sank to the ground, proud of myself. They cheered. Sera and Chris disappeared with the corpses, and reappeared quickly.
“That’s our girl!” Sebastian picked me up and swung me around. I laughed at him. He put me down, and looked at himself. “Ew, gross!” He was smeared with the demon’s blood. “Let’s get rid of that, shall we?” He took my hand and we were in the river. I spluttered and splashed, struggling to stay afloat.
“A bit of warning would’ve been nice!” I yelled at him. He laughed, grabbed my hand again, and we were back with the others.
I found a log and sat, catching my breath. “So what the fuck was that?!” I asked incredulously. The others looked to Chris.
“Hmm? Oh, that. Yes. It’s ancient name magic. From the very beginning of time. It binds all creatures of the underworld. Everything that makes them… them… is taken out, and all that remains is the overwhelming desire to serve their new master.” He smiled at me.
I blinked. “That’s pretty horrific.” I added thoughtfully, “So I could do it to anyone from the underworld? Like, say Lucifer?” The others looked terrified. I laughed at them. “Just joking. I would never hurt you guys. But all that power did feel pretty incredible if I’m being totally honest. I wanna get me an angel.” I grinned.
“What have we done?” Sera asked no one in particular, looking at the sky.
“We have created a power hungry monster.” Sebastian shivered theatrically, and grinned at me.
“But, no, seriously. Consider for a moment. What if she does get Lucifer? Imagine having Katie as the Queen of Hell!” Seth said in mock horror.
“I’d make an awesome Queen!” I laughed. “I’d combine the two Hells, and take on Heaven. I’d kick God the fuck out and rule all of creation!”
“Fuck!