DEVOURED

Chapter One

"I'm not going to do it, Mammon." Her voice is stern as she dares to look the hooded figure before her in the eyes. "I don't think you got a choice, Thana."

The harsh light of the sun blinds Thana for a second. She looks around disoriented, how did she get here? "You know what to do." His ruthless voice cuts through her mind like a blade. "I already told you, Mammon, I'm not doing it." Her breath hitches in her throat as her airway get suddenly cut off. "You want me gone, don't you?" The silence is filled with Thana's breathless gasps. "Then do it." Air fills her lungs, feeling as sweet as water on a hot day. "I hate you." Her voice not more than a whisper. Conflicted, but with the pain still fresh in her mind she walks inside the big building.

"Why are we in the library?" Thana asks, resulting in some puzzled looks from a couple leaving.

"Because we're going after the Prudentia." Mammon's voice still causes the hairs on Thana's arms to stand up straight. "And what's her deal?" Thana lowers her voice to a whisper as she takes out her pocket knife. "Are you, really, that stupid? Why do you think we're in a library? Don't make me regret choosing you." "I wouldn't mind not having you inside me at all," A low growl is all that echoes through her mind.

"Wisdom, I get it. Just, how am I supposed to recognize her?"

"You'll see."

A sigh leaves her lips as she wonders what she did to get into a situation like this. Thana wanders between the bookshelves for a few more minutes before her eyes catch a light moving out of her vision. Instinctively she follows it, her eyes focused on the light.

Thana stops dead in her tracks when she notices the girl in a white summer dress, her black silky hair laying on her back. An aura of light surrounds her as she looks thoughtfully through the books. Warmth radiates off of her, crawling towards Thana and creeps under her skin. "How did it get so hot in here all of a sudden?" Thana's voice is barely audible. "It's her heavenly power. She is so filled with it that it radiates off of her. Don't you feel how uncomfortable it makes us? She disgusts me." Thana rolls her eyes as his gruesome voice fills her head.

Thana takes a step towards the Prudentia at the same time she turns around. "Hi, can I help you?" Her voice is so light and sweet it causes Thana to freeze in her place. Thana looks at her attentively, noticing the girl's blue eyes scanning her face before going from carefree to serious. Before Thana can hesitate, she speaks the words that are on her mind. "Don't," Mammon shouts, but it's already too late. "There's a demon inside of me. His name is Mammon. I was wondering if you can help me." The pain that rushes up Thana's arm takes her breath away and the girl before her takes everything in silently.

"Of course," The girl starts before she walks into another aisle. Her voice echoes through the library and makes it impossible to know her exact location. "I've read about it. I'm very sorry, no one should experience something like that. The problem is though." Her voice makes Thana turn around and freeze at the image before her. "There is no other way than the way he asks of you. And unfortunately," she cocks the gun she holds in her hands, standing steadily. "They warned us you would come for us, Mammon." The girl raises the gun, pointing it towards Thana's heart. Thana opens her mouth trying to reason with the brightly shining girl, but the voice that came out wasn't hers. "You can't kill me, Sofia." The demons raspy voice cuts through the silence of the library. Freezing the air around Thana. "Oh, but I can kill your host," Sofia says. Thana drops down to the ground as the first shot rings the air, penetrating the shelf behind her.

"Geez!" Thana screams at the top of her lungs as she scrambles behind a shelf.

"I told you not to."

"Shut up Mammon!"