Chapter Four
There was some hesitation for her as she stood in front of the public library doors. The entryway was a deep mahogany and was beautiful and solid. The brick structure was humble and warm, coming together into spires with delicate looking accents wrought in strong iron at their peaks. At one point in its history, this library had been a chapel and when it no longer had a congregation to worship at its altars; it was renovated into this proud lovely homage to books.
Ruby worshipped here now along with a cluster of amateur historians who visit the libraries archives for records of their lineage. Young grammar school students stop by for homework help from helpful adults. On the weekends, there was a quilting group that comprised of gentle old women who often lament over missing their grandchildren. This library was a place for good.
If Dillon were to attack her again, Ruby promised herself that she would scream bloody murder. She would not let him sully this sacred place like she’d allowed him to ruin her love of swimming.
Ruby pulled open the doors and marched purposefully until she found the modest occult section. There were twenty spell books in all and she pulled out book after book and stationed herself at a table that was mostly full of college age students studying and chatting about legal exams. She didn’t think she should be alone, nor did she want to but she knew that it wouldn’t make a difference. That demon could freeze time and Dillon was always lurking around some corner or other, waiting.
Her hands trembled as she flipped though those pages. Many of the spell books were useless, just stories. She didn’t have the time to sit through thirty short stories about witches. She wasn’t a witch. She’d certainly summoned a demon but Ruby was adamant that she did not belong to this world of the occult. She was a normal girl and she wanted normal things. Good grades, friends, boyfriends, clear skin, and surviving high school were on her list of normal desires.
Ruby did manage to write down a few tidbits that seemed of value. There was a list of items of protection, multiple types of glamour spells, and a silly little spell to help her focus on her studies. Nothing else seemed to be helpful. There was, however, a shadowtale book that read like fairytales with very pretty illustration. Ruby decided to check out that book as it neared closing time, just too look through the pictures.
She walked home with reluctance, knowing he’d be there, this demon. Perhaps he was following her now. The thought of her mother being there alone with that despicable creature did eventually spur her on but the sight of an empty drive way turned each step to molasses. Instead of going straight into the house, Ruby wandered into her front yard. She pretended to peruse the flowers along the front of the house and turned the corner to see the dying rose bushes. Truthfully, Ruby wanted to see the dark spot in the ground. It was still there; still wet right below the shadow of a decrepit rose stem.
Knowing that the wet spot was there was a relief. In all of the books she read that held real information about demon oriented spells, each and every one clearly stated that as long as the ground was wet, and the spell was fresh, it could be easier to alter, rules could be redefined. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and straightened up, turning around and colliding right into the demon.
“Your roses aren’t doing very well, Ruby,” said the demon, dressed in fashionably torn jeans and a black band shirt with the words Circle Jerks printed in deep red. He held her by the shoulders to steady her but did not release her. When he leaned in close, Ruby thought he would kiss her again but instead, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. “Why are you avoiding me?” he asked finally as he gripped her. She was under the impression that he did not know his own strength, or didn’t remember it.
“You’re hurting me,” she bit out between clenched teeth. Ruby scowled at him in the hopes of hiding how fearful she really was. Whatever he was looking for on her face, he must have found, and was satisfied. He held onto her a breath longer than necessary, though gentler this time, and then released her.
Had she been disillusioned as a child? Weren’t demons supposed to be charming her out of her soul? This guy was a jerk! Ruby felt some relief in knowing that her soul was safely out of his reach.
“Circle Jerks?” Ruby asked, giving his shirt an incredulous look before leading the both of them into the house. She had curious neighbors and didn’t need any more drama in her life if a Good Samaritan neighbor decided to call her mom and tell her she had boys over in the absence of an adult chaperone. Anything could happen, and would happen if given the chance. Her mother had enough to worry about without her “slut” daughter traipsing around the front yard with a strange boy.
“It’s a band. The last time I was here was in the 80’s,” he said with nonchalant tone and a very appropriate shrug. How teen, she thought. Was he absorbing the behavior of her generation or did he remember the behavior of the 1980’s? For the first time since his arrival, she did not feel fear or animosity toward him, but instead, an intense curiosity. He was like a foreign exchange student with a culture Ruby was beginning to obsess about.
They sat, both girl and demon, at the kitchen table. Ruby made herself a snack, munching on sliced apples and crunchy peanut butter. The demon did not partake in human food but he did watch her eat, distracted by her knife spreading the reluctant peanut butter over the cleanly sliced apple wedges.
“Do you know what I am, Ruby?” asked the demon as he leaned back in his chair. She sat across from him, apprehensive. She assumed he was a demon. He’d alluded to that on their first encounter. When she made no move to answer, he continued in a quiet sensual rumble. “I’m immortal.”
It wasn’t exactly what she thought he’d say. She folded her hands primly on her lap and straightened her spine. Her eyes never left his and she forced herself to stay cool even though his gaze was making her hot and irritable. She knew he was trying to cultivate this simmering feeling under her skin, make her act against her better judgment. Ruby knew he was here for a reason; the promise of Hell in his eyes was enough proof that she should not lower her guard around him.
“And?” She asked chillingly to disguise her prurient interests.
“It means I’ve been around a long time, and I’ll be around longer sti-“
“I know what it means,” she interrupted impatiently. Ruby caught a flash of annoyance in his eyes and felt the delicate taste of victory taint the apples she nibbled. A hint of a smirk tugged at the corners of her plump lips.
“I’ve been summoned by all types of people, for many different reasons, Ruby, and I’ve always come out on top. So why don’t you let me help you while you have me,” he continued calmly and ignored her rudeness quite effectively.
“No, thank you. It was a mistake to summon you. I must have been sleepwalking or something. I’ll find a way to send you back,” she said and waved her hand dismissively. She stood then on weak knees that she forced to remain strong, and took her plate to the sink. Was it so simple? Could she really negotiate her why out of hosting this demon?
She didn’t hear him rise but she could feel him behind her even before he touched her. Ruby pretended not to be scared but she was certain that he could hear her heart thunder under her ribcage. Was he like an animal that could smell fear? She certainly reeked of it.
The demon’s hands were warm on her shoulder, very gentle as they pulled her black hair off of her neck. His breath was hot and sent a shiver through her that she attempted to suppress. Ruby refused to let him affect her but already, she felt she was losing this battle of wills. She was a hormonal eighteen year old, and this demon touched her the way she imagined Johnny might touch her. Softly, sweetly, and lovingly. His mouth found purchase on her neck and suckled gently. Her hands slipped on the plate, but he moved with ease to catch it, resting it on the counter without ceasing the action of his delightful mouth.
The demon turned her around, pressing her back up against the sink. His hands tugged at the collar of her shirt and eased it apart. Ruby vaguely recalled the button’s giving way beneath the power of his masterful fingers. Her mind was overwhelmed by the return of his wet mouth sucking, nipping, and licking down the sensitive valley of her breasts.
“Ruby,” he murmured against her cotton covered nipple. He mouthed it through her bra and the fabric clung deliciously to her taut flesh. “Isn’t this how Dillon touched you in the library?” Ruby froze as his hands travelled up her thigh and found her wet and wanting beneath her skirt. “Were you this wet when he touched you?”
He was trying to make her mad or ashamed but she was mostly confused. Dillon has never touched her like this. Maybe that was also his purpose; Ruby was too disoriented with pleasure to make heads or tails of the situation. She opened her mouth to protest but his warmth vanished so suddenly that she stumbled and caught herself on the edge of the sink with trembling hands.
The cause of his disappearance became clear. Ruby heard her mother’s car door slam shut. She took the time to right herself, buttoned up her dress shirt and navy blue blazer and continued washing the few dishes she had left. By the time her mother burst through the door with groceries, Ruby was calm but still a little flushed.
She had to find a way to send that demon back. She couldn’t have him sneaking up on her that way again. Ruby knew she couldn’t win if his arsenal consisted of soft simmering touch and heated lips.
“What the matter with your neck?” asked her mother as she put away the groceries. Mrs. Gallows eyed Ruby suspiciously.
Ruby pulled her hair over her shoulder to shield whatever it was her mother saw. A hickey. Without looking, Ruby knew she had multiple from her neck down to her breast. They glowed hotly, not from magic, but from embarrassment.
“I-I um,” Ruby had no good answer.
“Ruby.” Her mother said sternly and straightened up. She shut the fridge and proceeded to give Ruby The Talk part II. The Talk part I was easy. Where do babies come from? answered the way a part-time Catholic could answer. Relatively little sex in the mix, miracles and what nots. Part II made Ruby squeamish. It was about what guys want, about abstinence and grotesque diseases to scare her away from genitalia. It came from a good place.
Geneva Gallows remembered distinctly how horrible it was for her daughter after sophomore year. She didn’t want her daughter to go through it again and since Ruby had never shown any outward interest in boys, Geneva thought it wouldn’t be a problem. But here she was, scrutinizing her daughter’s neck and wondering if Ruby consented this time.
“Who is this guy?” her mother asked finally.
“Uh-“
“Is he your boyfriend?”
“Um, yes.”
“What’s his name?” Dear God, Ruby thought. When will this end? It was then that Ruby realized that she didn’t know what that demon’s name was. Either way, he’d probably have a really old sounding name that’d be way weird to offer to her interrogating mother.
“S-Simon,” she thought up on the spot.
“Ruby, I know I’m not around much your senior year, and I’m really sorry. But I’m your mother, and I want you to be able to come to me when new things crop up in your life. Why didn’t you tell me about Simon? How long have you been going out?” Her mother tried to disguise her concern with exasperation.
“A couple months,” now that the lies started, the conversation became easier. She chose not to answer her mother’s other question. It was too hard to tell her why, how was better.
“I’m going to need to meet him,” her mom demanded and Ruby knew she’d somehow cornered herself. She didn’t have a boyfriend. She didn’t even have a guy friend who would go along with this. Her mother knew what Johnny looked like and Ruby was almost certain that Johnny would play no part in such trickery.
Behind her mother, leaning against the refrigerator was that self-same demon that’d left his mark so visibly on her. He smiled smugly at her, amusement clear in his eyes. Before her mother turned around to finish putting away the rest of the groceries, the soulless creature winked at her and blinked out of the kitchen.
The bastard had done this on purpose!
“Are you wearing perfume?” Geneva asked as she sniffed the air. But her daughter was already rushing up the stairs to her room.
------------------------------
AN: Hey guys! Thank you for reading and voting! It means so so much to me. Any comments or advice will be a blessing. The next chapter may get a little steamier still!