Into the Light

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

   Marie quivered on the attic floor. Familiar faces from Ashley Waters High School shuffled around her. She knew her wrist was still bleeding. Her shoulder throbbed agonizingly. She didn't dare look at her stomach. What had she done to deserve this? How did she get here?

   Rocky leaned over Marie. He avoided her gaze as his strong fingers undid Marie's shackles. The circumference of her wrists were bloody circles, her arm hung funny from her socket, and Rocky frowned. With surprising gentleness, he touched Marie's arm. Lightning bolts of pain raked her.

   "Be still," he whispered. And then Rocky set Marie's shoulder. She nearly screamed, but it caught in her throat like a choking animal. She flailed, and stilled, eyelids fluttering.

   Rocky undid the rest of Marie's restraints before lifting her in his arms. Out the small door, right and right and right, until they stood on the top of the staircase that led down into the living room and kitchen. Marie was barely conscious.

*Within Rocky*

   Asmodeus--the Revenger of Wickedness--felt the old Rocky stir within him as he stared down at Marie's naked body, and Asmodeus nearly snarled shoving Rocky down into the dark. Into the black, where people like him belonged.

   Within Rocky, Asmodeus could see all the boy's memories. His sickness. His rotten soul. Rocky was a rapist. A liar. Over a dozen girls, with blood on their thighs, he'd left sobbing in dark places. A blonde left unconscious with a black eyes. A redhead trying to tell the police what had happened, but no one believed her. A blue eyed girl, pale-faced, staring at the floor, letting it happen to her. Unable to stop him. Waiting for it to be over.

   Right now, Rocky should be burning in the eternal depths of hell. He should be roasting on a spit, having his entrails consumed by demons. And then, Asmodeus would have Rocky's organs regrow, so they could do it all over again.

   Not even Lust--who Asmodeus had known for several millennia--raped women. In fact, Lust abhorred it. He claimed it brought disgrace to his name, and went on to say not even the Devil himself entered a person without their permission.

   Wearing Rocky's skin nauseated Asmodeus. Oftentimes he took three showers a day, sometimes more. Sometimes he beat himself in his privates when he felt Rocky surfacing.  ...Rocky only attempted to surface when he saw a woman. Prey.

   Rocky nearly fully surfaced the first time Asmodeus had seen Marie, going up the stairs with Jade. He could see up her skirt, and with some great force, Rocky lurched forward, catching the scent of the girls' panties.

   Asmodeus had regained control by the time they reached the top of the stairs, but not without effort.

   Asmodeus looked down at Marie in his arms. She had a simple beauty, like an angel. The idea should have disgusted him. Instead, he looked over her every inch. She did not have the Blessing of the Light like Sang did, yet there was something about Marie...a mystery...a secret that Asmodeus intended to discover.

   Blood dripped from Marie's wrist to the floor. Asmodeus carried her down the stairs and set her upon the overpriced designer couch. Marie got blood on it. Asmodeus found a First-Aid kit under the kitchen sink and began to bandage her wrist.

   Marie regained slight consciousness, brown eyes peering up at him from beneath dark lashes. Such a sensual, trusting expression, despite her extreme pain.