Under His Control (BXB)

Chapter 24 - He's Still Family

Rico's POV
Before I had chance to take my little demon far away from all this, someone grabbed my shoulder. Not a firm grasp, but at the same time not a gentle one, either.

I shook them off roughly and let out a growl. I assumed they were trying to get to the precious cargo I was carrying, nestled in my arms. Nobody will touch my Thunderstorm but me!

"Woah, easy!" His brother's voice responded, sounding slightly scared. Good, he should be! I'm in no mood to be held back. My baby is in pain, emotionally and physically. What he needs is for us to go home and rest!

"What is it, warlock" I all but growled at him. He shrugged, seemingly unfazed.

"Unless you don't want me to allow my own little brother free passage to all the dimensions then that's o-" I cut him off by grabbing his arm, rougher than intended causing him to wince a little.

"Do it! We don't have long before my power runs out and I can't keep him here. If you're too slow, he'll die. So be quick, got it? If we wait longer the a few minutes I won't have the energy to take him back home. Understand?" I demanded, letting go of him. He nodded quickly, fear shining in his eyes.

"PHOENIX DON'T YOU DARE!" Storm's father's voice boomed from the front room. He was clearly very angry, which I guess is justified. He'll be disappointed in his only remaining son for going against all his beliefs...

I didn't have time to do a lot of thinking as Phoenix motioned urgently for me to follow him downstairs to the basement. My precious Storm was looking up at me with wide eyes as I followed his brother down the dimly lit staircase, although it wasn't a problem for me. He turned and pushed a deadbolt across the door, and muttered a spell for what I can only assume sealing the lock in place.

"Okay, so put Storm down on the floor in the middle of the circle" he said, motioning to the chalky circle drawn on the floor. Reluctantly, I placed him down and moved away. My eyes shifted from my sweet Thunderstorm and his brother warily.

Phoenix moved over to my Storm's side and held his hands out before him, palm towards Storm. A gentle white light surrounded his palms as he closed his eyes and began chanting something.

The whole process only took a minute, but it was the longest minute of my life.

My baby was writhing in pain, giving me flashbacks of when I turned him. His lips parted in a silent scream, and a dark mist seemed to come out of his body. Weird, I don't remember that happening when I was summoned, though maybe it's because I'm a Greater Demon...

The white mist disappeared and the boy slumped forward, falling to his knees. Storm coughed and looked at me, confusion clear on his cute little face. The strain on my body from keeping him here disappeared, and I couldn't help the small sigh if relief that escaped my lips

"The pressure is gone..." Storm whispered, running over to me. But before he could reach me, an invisible force flung him backwards. When I tried to run to catch him, I ran into a wall, too.

I couldn't see this said wall, but I couldn't move past it, either. I followed it around with my hands, finding it was a metre wide invisible circle around me. That sneaky bastard that Storm calls his brother tricked me!

"You trust too easily, demon. I'm still a warlock, after all." the boy grinned, clicking his fingers. The deadbolt on the door slid back and the door swung open, revealing his father.

"Good work, son. I didn't doubt you for a moment." he beamed, making his way down the creaky wooden staircase.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Father, you thought I was going to let them both leave? How little faith you have in me. I only trapped the Greater Demon, though I allowed Storm free passage to this realm and The Far. He's still a part of the family, I couldn't hurt him. But he can stay here with us now, and we can help him learn to control the demonic instincts, right?"

His father slapped him, really hard. The sound resounded around the basement, seeming to echo back louder than before. "You stupid boy! That," he said, pointing at my beloved, "isn't your brother! That is a demon using his body. What were you thinking?!"

"Take a good look at him, father. Then tell me he isn't the same Storm who calls you father, that he isn't the son you raised!"

"He may wear the face and steal the memories of the boy I raised, but a demon has stolen away the child that used to call me father" Storm's father spat.

How dare he talk about my precious little baby like that! If he won't care for him now, then I will! I never wanted to bring him back here anyway, I knew their would be complications. Such as him being rejected by his father and that wretched brat trapping me in this magic circle!

When I get out of here, I'll kill them both, starting with his father. I'll make it as slow as possible, drawing out the pain I'll inflict...

I brought my hand to my face and physically slapped myself, as hard as I could. Stupid, stupid! That was my shadow talking, trying to taking over, trying to get inside my head again... And it nearly won. I nearly let my desire for revenge overcome me.

See, this is why us demons are so feared. Because some can't control the primal desires deep inside us like I can. Take my brother, for example. Yeah, no wonder we're so feared and hated...

Well, I can't talk. Before I met Storm, I was just like him. Killing was my guilty pleasure, I revelled in it. A room of innocents was my playground. I'd paint them a pretty, pretty crimson, their screams music to my ears.

The day with the rabbits, the day I first tasted fresh blood, the day I met my shadow for the first time, that was the day when I started losing my mind. Ever since then, I'd thought of nothing but killing. Not because I needed to kill to survive, oh no. Greater Demons don't need that much blood, just a small sip. No, I just killed for the fun of it. I enjoyed making artwork out if their bodies.

Until I met him.