Dealings With Demons Chapter One: Summoning

Summoning1

Chapter one2

Fear engulfed me as I lit the candles and called forth the sinister presences that had only ever existed to haunt my darkest nightmares. Face your fears. In my case an ironic statement, for my fear had a face, not that I'd ever seen it, born of shadow that's how it always appeared, as a shadow. I took a deep breath and began to recite the words of the old incantation. I could feel the air around me grow heavy the darkness grew darker. I gulped, and had a flash of regret. I should have never done this, it was dangerous to dabble in black magic. 3

Too late. All the candles flickered and extinguished at the same time. My body was shaking from the fear now. "H...hello." I called tentatively. Without human help the candles flared back to life, casting the room in a deep orange glow once more. I stifled a squeak of fear. Before me stood a figure cloaked in darkness. It held no shape, but seemed all the more dangerous for it. This was bad, what was I thinking, this couldn't possibly end well. The figure stood expectantly, unmoving, waiting, but for what? I gulped and hoped it hadn't noticed, to show fear when faced with it was surely lethal. 4

Presumably it got tired of waiting and was the first to speak. "Why have you summoned me?" The voice it used was raspy, and harsh sounding but at the same time it held all the richness and desire of velvet. 5

"I…I…I wanted to ask a favor of you, oh lord of darkness." I choked horribly over my words. 6

An amused cackle issued from before me. He found my fear amusing. "Why would I help you." 7

"That summons circle you're standing in means that you're bound to me and my bidding." I tried to inject authority into my words, but they sounded unconvincing even to my ears. 8

"Is that so, what is it that you want me to do then? Curse a bully, make someone…disappear mysteriously?" 9

"No, what I want is something a little different." 10

"Out with it girl, I have no time for this." 11

I recoiled at his poisonous tone. "I want you to bring someone back for me, someone who's gone." 12

"Just tell me who." He hissed in annoyance. 13

"My brother, he died, last month." 14

"I can't bring back the dead. Stop wasting my time girl." 15

The world around me became distant. I was certain this would work. "You're lying." I accused. "You’re a demon. You must have the power. You are bound to me, I command you to tell the truth." My voice became desperate. 16

The creature gave and animal snarl and started to speak. "I can not bring the departed back." 17

"There must be some way to bring him back."18

"There is a way, but it's not easy and to do it you'd need to let me free." 19

"Show yourself." I commanded hesitantly, not sure if what I was asking for was good. The figure melted out of the shadows and I sharply took in breath. It wasn't anything that I had been expecting. 20

He saw my reaction and smirked "I have no true form." He replied his voice younger sounding but still smooth as silk. "Not here anyway, but I can take on many. I could always change if you'd like." 21

"This one will do." I blushed slightly. I had been expecting some grotesque monster, instead a slender teenage boy stood before me. His skin was pale, like it hadn't seen sun in years, and his short white blonde hair was cut jaggedly in a tasteful way that fell into his eyes which were a cold mocking grey. He wore a plain black shirt that fit his body nicely hinting at the muscles beneath. His pants were also black and they were baggy, showing only half his black sneakers beneath. A slim silver chain was wrapped around his wrist and another ran from his belt loop to back pocket. Small silver hoops were pierced into his left ear, right eyebrow, and their was a studded snake bite in his lip. "Put this on." I slid a silver chain across the floor to him. He bent over and picked it up, his fingernails had remnants of black nail polish and on several he wore plain silver bands. He twisted the chain in his hands examining it closely. 22

"Why?" 23

"Just put it on." 24

"No." He said flatly. 25

"Put it on, I command you." He winced at the words and clasped it around his neck with a shrug. I skimmed the open book in front of me and recited a few more words. He hissed in anger as the chain shrank around his neck and the clasp melted into itself. 26

"You've done you're research." He growled trying to get his fingers under it so he could tug it off, it wouldn't budge. 27

"Now you're bound to me outside the circle until I release you." 28

"Or you die." He spat venomously. I gulped. 29

"When I release you, you are not to harm me or anyone else, and you must obey all direct commands I issue." 30

"I know the rules." He cursed. "But do you?" 31

"What do you mean?" 32

"We demons don't work for free. In exchange for helping you I get something in return." 33

"What?" I asked weakly. 34

"I'm not sure, your soul perhaps or maybe the life of a loved one. Think about what you're getting yourself into my dear, dealing with demons is never good." 35

"I'd give anything for my brother back." I said defiantly hoping that the words I spoke were true, I'd come to far to back down now. 36

He scowled, "Well then now that we're on the same terms, let me out of this stupid circle." I nodded and wiped away some of the chalked lines breaking the power that held him. Before I knew it I was pinned against the wall of the room his hand closing around my neck. The room began to spin and I was gasping for breath. I'd gotten the binding collar wrong it was over now. Suddenly he relaxed his grip and I slid to the floor struggling to breathe. "Remember this I'm not some servant to do your bidding, I obey no one." He spoke harshly his eyes burning as he glared at me. I nodded in understanding. He backed away as I got to my feet. 37

"What's your name?" I dared to ask. 38

He turned to me and smiled wickedly. "My name, I have many but you human, can call me Damon." 39

"I'm Naomi." I replied not knowing what else to say. "So what are we looking for?"40

"I'm not sure." He shrugged, losing his anger. "I've only heard rumors of it."41

"Of what?" I was irritated at all his running around the subject.42

"Death's Kiss, it's a potion of sorts, that can bring the dead to life. I make no promises that we'll find it." 43

"Then I make no promises to let you go." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in anger. That was the trouble with demons, they didn't willing accept being forced into service. If they could they'd kill you, if you were careless they will. "Where do we get this potion?"44

He smiled a dazzling smile that made me weak in the knees. "I have no idea." I nearly fell to the floor. 45

"What?" I yelled. He only continued to smile. I was ready to punch him, and almost did, it's amazing how fast you forget your fear when it's disguised as a cute guy, bad idea. With lighting reflexes he threw me to the wall again. 46

"Don't forget, you may be in charge but I'm stronger." I flinched away, were his teeth sharper or was I imagining things? Satisfied with my reaction he released me. "You obviously have some books on demons, and witch craft, why don't we start there." 47

I nodded. "In my room." 48

"Lead the way." He purred. I stepped ahead of him with defeated confidence walking out of the abandoned basement and into the street. He followed wincing at the bright light that was the sun. I don't know what possibly compelled me to do so but I pulled out my sunglasses and handed them to him. He looked at them curiously and put them on his eyes. They fit him good, plain dark wire rimmed lenses nothing girly, I wasn't really the girly type. He didn't thank me, not that I expected him too, so I continued up the street walking towards home, the last place I wanted to be. 49

The street was nearly deserted, I lived in one of those middle of nowhere towns, the kind where everyone knows everyone, and the all avoid the new girl in black. That's right the new girl, after my brother died, my parent's needed a change of scenery. I'd been an outcast form day one. Was it any wonder I turned to a demon for help? 50

I looked at all the spotless yards, this wasn't where I belonged, it's not where I wanted to be. I sighed. Damon looked at me funny, but said nothing. Why should he care? The walk home took twenty long minuets of funny looks from anyone outside and an uncomfortable silence between us. 51

I stopped at my driveway and lingered there a bit before going to the door. I opened it hesitantly. My stepfather was asleep, drunk, on the couch, where I'd left him. I let out a breath of relief. He could get violent, and if he'd woken up when I'd been gone I didn't want to be me. I ushered Damon through the door and into my room closing the door quietly behind him. "So where do we start?" I asked. 52

He looked around my room. Dark clothing was thrown everywhere, my bed was unmade, and candle stumps littered the dresser. The curtains were drawn cutting off the supply of light. He took off the sunglasses, and ran his finger along the bindings of the books on my bookshelf and pulled a few down. He handed me some, "You read those. I'll read these." And he pulled a few more down for himself. I opened the book and began to skim the pages for anything that was Death's Kiss or bringing back the dead. Damon lounged lazily on my bed, flipping carelessly through the pages of his books. 53

e…f54

Damon growled with frustration and tugged irritated at the chain around his neck. "What is this crap? Barely anything in any of these books is true. What did you use to summon me?" 55

I jumped a bit at his outburst and then tossed a small beat up leather bound book at him. He caught it without looking and flipped through it's pages. "This is better." He muttered, "But it's only basic stuff, we need something better." 56

"Like what? This is all I have." I whined, he ignored me. "What do you have in mind then Damon?" I watched his dark eyes flash over the words of the book and his mouth move silently to them. "Damon." I called again. 57

"What?" He looked up angrily. 58

I backed down. "Um…what are we going to do?" 59

He glared awhile longer then turned his attention back to the book. "I'm sure there's some where I could find the information, but I'll have to go alone. So you're gonna have to let me go for a while." He smirked victoriously. 60

I hesitated unsure of what to do, but in the end gave in. "Fine, you have a day to search but you have to be back here by sunset tomorrow and I forbid you from hurting anyone." 61

"Not that I could anyway." He muttered. "Well I'll be off, see you later girl." He smiled and pushed himself off the bed heading towards my door. He got there and it opened with out him having to do anything. At first I though he was using some supernatural power that would have been better then what it actually was. My mother stood in the doorway, surprise and confusion on her face she'd come back from work early. 62

"Who are you?" She asked. 63

"Damon." 64

"Well Damon, I suggest you go." Her voice was low and dangerous. 65

"I was just leaving." He turned around and winked at me. I felt the color drain from my face. 66

My mother stood in the doorway and stared at me until she heard the front door close. "What was he doing here, and who is he?" 67

"He…he's a friend from school." I lied, "We were studying." I pointed to the opened books on my bed and desk trying to prove it true. 68

She looked at me skeptically, but it seemed to be enough to convince her. "Next time he comes over you study in the living room." 69

"Jeff was sleeping in their." I muttered trying to give her a reason for my actions. She studied me and then left. I let out a sigh of relief, things could have gone worse. 70

e…f71

I turned up my radio trying to block out the yelling coming from down the hall. Jeff was awake and my mom had told him about Damon. It wasn't anything unusual, they always fought like this. Outside the sun was setting, Damon should have been back by now. He probably tricked me, and found a way out of the collar. I wouldn't put it past him. 72

The shouting got closer and footsteps heavier. My bedroom door flew open, I cringed in the corner trying to make myself as small as possible. My step dad roared in anger when he spotted me. "You had a boy in your room!" I nodded afraid no answer would make it worse. He growled like my reluctance to answer made him angrier and walked closer. My mother lingered in the doorway for a moment then left closing it behind her. As long as it wasn't her, that was all she cared about. Jeff reached me and pulled me up harshly by my arm. "What was your answer?" 73

"Yes." I winced, his breath that smelled heavily of beer.74

"You little tramp." He spat and tossed me to the floor. I stifled any noise I would have made as his foot connected with my side. The beating continued and tears rolled down my face, crying with out a sound. 75

"Leave her alone." The voice was like acid and it came from the shadows. My step dad paused in his assault. 76

"Who the hell are you?" Jeff sputtered in surprise. I was still on the ground covering my head but snuck a look and saw a pair of black sneakers walk past me. 77

"Your worst nightmare." The voice was menacingly cold.78

"Get out of my house!" My stepfather's voice was strained and frightened as he stumbled back wards. I heard the voice chuckle and Jeff scream. I closed my eyes. 79

When I opened them again I saw a pale hand with black nail polish in front of me. I looked up timidly. "Damon." I gasped. Damon glared back emotionlessly. Stiffly I took his hand, it was cold, he pulled me to my feet. Confused I glanced around my room and saw Jeff pressed up against the door, white as a sheet and breathing heavily, fear clouding his eyes as he watched Damon. "What did you do to him?" 80

"Nothing…really." The demon replied. "But he's going to learn to sober up fast, I spelled him so alcohol will burn his mouth like acid." 81

"Th…thank you." I stuttered. 82

He hissed at the words, I guess demons didn't like to be acknowledged for good deeds. "Come on let's go, I found out some useful information." He looked at my window held out his hand and muttered a few strange words. The glass shattered and I flinched away. Damon wasted no time in pulling me through the new exit and into the yard. The sun was nearly set. I didn't say anything more to him as he nearly dragged me across the yard and into the woods. I didn't know what to say, apparently thank you wasn't what he wanted to hear. 83

He slowed down as we approached the woods and let go of my wrist. I was out of breath, I don't think I'd ever run like that before. He looked at me breathing like it was nothing. As he watched me he cocked his head. "Why do you put up with that?" He seemed genuinely curious. 84

"Why did you help me?" I panted. 85

"Answer my question first." 86

I sighed and let my self fall backwards into a sitting position. "I don't know." I muttered not looking at him. 87

Apparently it wasn't a satisfying answer because he asked again, "Why didn't you fight back?" 88

"And make him angrier? Besides as you've proved before, I'm weak. If I fought back he'd probably think it as a reason to kill me. Now it's your turn why did you help me?"89

He looked at me like with the same cold expression he always wore. "It's not right, what he was doing." He said it in a kind of off way, like he couldn't believe he was saying it. Hearing the soft words and his distant expression made me wonder what he was thinking. Then a though crossed my mind, do demons have hearts? I never thought for a moment that my rescuer would be the person who'd only recently threatened to kill me. The world had a twisted sense of humor. The snarl returned to his face. "Don't get used to it girl, that was a one time thing." I nodded. "Good now come on we should get out of here." 90

"How?" I asked. He smiled and walked away, leaving me to stare after him dumbfounded. Where was he going, I wondered as the shadows swallowed him. I got my answer soon when a sleek black sports car glided to a stop in front of me, Damon at the wheel. 91

"Coming?" Shakily I got up and got into the passenger side door. 92

"Do I want to know how you got this car?" 93

"Probably not." He smirked, so I didn't ask. 94

He took off down the road, I stayed quiet the whole time and just watched the day fade from behind the window. The whole ride Damon would glace at me, sometimes I thought I saw a bit of sympathy behind his eyes. I must have been quite a sight, bruised and bloody from my split lip, muddy from our escape. Suddenly my eyes felt wet, I reached up and brushed tears away. I looked at the drop of water on my fingers why was I crying? 95

e…f96

I sank down into the warm water of the tub. Damon had gotten us a motel for the night. I didn't ask where he got the money because like the car I didn't want to know. There was a knock on the door. "I got you some clothes." Damon called. 97

"Just leave them at the door." After checking in he'd left to do some shopping. My clothes were bloody and muddy, and we needed food. The more I thought about it the more that I realized that for a demon he was actually pretty nice. I pulled my self from the tub and wrapped a towel around myself. I Opened the door a crack and quickly snatched my close up from the floor. I heard him laugh as I shut the door. 98

Picking up the clothes I realized they were new, and that the demon had good taste. He'd gotten me several black t-shirts. One had a silver pentagram, another had a full moon with a wolf's silhouette cut out of it, and the last was plain black. I pulled on the plain cotton one and some black boxers, they seemed like the best pajamas. He'd also gotten me a black skirt and black pants complete with a few slim chains. Dressed, I examined my appearance in the mirror, not to see how the new clothes looked but to see the extent of my injures. My reflection stared back at me with unseeing green eyes, framed by shoulder length blue-black hair. My lip was swollen and a bruise was forming under my eye and another on my arm. I lifted my shirt a bit to see a nasty black and blue on my side form where Jeff had kicked me, it was sore to the touch. 99

Again my thoughts wondered back to Damon, if he hadn't done what he had how many other bruises would I have, what new excuses would I have to come up with for all the people I met. Realizing this I was determined to change him, or at least bring out the good that was there. 100

"Eat." He ordered throwing a bag of fast food at me as I exited the bathroom. He sat on one of the twin beds food spread out in front of him watching the news. I opened the bag, it had a hamburger and french-fries. I shrugged and sat on the bed next to him. He looked at me with a little curiosity then turned back to the small T.V. "They think I kidnapped you." He said emotionlessly. 101

"What?" I said choking on a fry. He turned up the volume on the T.V. 102

A young newscaster woman stood in front of my house, my parents looking heart broken beside her. "Around five o' clock this evening, sixteen year old Naomi Breaker was kidnapped from her bedroom by an unknown attacker. Her stepfather was there during the attack, Mr. Trecker, do you think you could tell us about what happened." Jeff nodded solemnly and took her microphone. 103

"We were…arguing, Naomi and I, then this boy came out of her closet and surprised me. He knocked me to the ground I didn't have enough time to react before he broke the window and dragged her out. Please if you have Naomi bring her back to us." 104

The news lady took the mike back, "Can you tell us what the attacker looked like?" She questioned in a professional tone. 105

"It happened so fast, he looked to be a teenage boy. Short bleached blonde hair he wore all black and had some piercings. I think Naomi knew him, she called him Damon." 106

Naomi's mother took the mike and barely held back tears. "The other day I caught her with a Damon in her room…she said he was a friend from school…Naomi, sweetie please come home." The tears spilt over. 107

The news lady spoke again. "The police checked the school records and there is no one by the name Damon matching that description enrolled there, currently or in the past. The police are offering a reward for any information about the missing girl or Damon. We'll let you know of any updates as soon as they come in. This is Kayla for news center 7 Signing off." The news report ended and a commercial played. 108

"I hope you didn't use your real name." Was all I had to say. 109

"Then we both agree I didn't kidnap you?" A smile tugged at his mouth. I gave him a sarcastic smile. "You don't want to go back." It wasn't a question he was simply stating the obvious. 110

I shook my head. "Why should I? You saw what they did, and now they're lying about it. Any bruises I have they'll blame on you. Yeah I feel bad for my mom, but it's not like she did anything to stop him. They're better off without me, they're only doing this cause they have to report it and they like the publicity." Damon shrugged and turned off the T.V. I watched him eat, it looked like we were stuck together for the time being.111

As I watched him shove the rest of his hamburger in his mouth I remembered something he'd said earlier. "Hey Damon?" He didn't answer. "You said you'd found something out, are you going to tell me what?"112

He swallowed. "Yeah I did. One you live in the middle of freaking nowhere and two there's a library in the city." 113

"There's a library here too." I pointed out. 114

"I'm not looking for a human library." He smirked. I gave him a blank stare, and the smirk turned into a sigh. "So your turn, tell me why you're doing this?" 115

"Doing what?" I turned away unable to look him in the eye. 116

"'Doing what?'" He mocked. "Why you summoned me, why you're risking your life?" 117

"I told you before, my brother…" 118

"Your brother died, and you want me to bring him back. Boo-hoo." He sneered. "People die everyday, and you don't see their families trying to bring them back. What made your brother so great?" 119

I could feel his eyes burning into me demanding an answer which suddenly felt like a stupid selfish reason. "I… don't know," I whispered. 120

He scoffed, "Fine, I didn't really care anyway." He cleaned up the remains of his meal and tossed it into the trash turning out the lights on his way to the other bed. 121

I heard him toss around a few times trying to get comfortable. "He was the only one who ever cared." There was silence from the other bed. 122

"What do you mean?" 123

"He was the only one that gave a damn about me. Our dad left us and mom, she was desperate and clung to the first dirt bag that said he loved her. I was ten and he was sixteen. He used to have a normal life, but a few years into the marriage Jeff got violent. I begged mom to leave. I showed her the bruises, but she believed him over me. Miles didn't he started to stay home rather then go out." I looked into the darkness, I knew Damon could see me even if I couldn't see him. My eyes were watering. "He stood up for me, I think Jeff was afraid of him because the beatings got less, he never even went near me when Miles was around. For a while things were okay. Then Miles moved out, Jeff almost killed me twice in the first month he was gone." I shivered at the snatches of pain and the smell of the hospital that floated back to me. "Miles found out and wasn't convinced by the lies. He tried to get custody, it was an ongoing battle, I tried to runaway several times. He brought me back every time, he said that Jeff would accuse him of kidnapping me." I choked and the tears started to fall down my face. "It's my fault he died. I should have just waited like he said but I couldn't, I wanted out of that house, I wanted to be with him." The sobbing increased, it was impossible for Damon not to hear it, but he offered me no comfort. 124

"How did he die?" His voice was devoid of any emotion.125

"It was raining, mom was working late and Jeff had beat me again, I ran away to the gas station and used their payphone. I begged him to pick me up, that if he didn't I just find somewhere else to go cause there was no way in hell I was going back there." 126

"Did he come?" 127

I nodded. "He never made it. His car spun out going over the bridge he drowned, coming to get me. I spent the entire night at the gas station hiding in the garage. Morning came and I thought he didn't care. My threat had been empty, I knew I wasn't going to survive on my own I went back. As soon as I opened the door I saw my mother crying, 'I hope you're happy.' she snarled, 'Thanks to you your brother's dead! You had to get him involved he drowned in the river last night, the only reason he'd come out here on a night like that was to get you. It's your fault!'" The tears were falling heavily now. "I killed him. That's why I want you to bring him back, so he can have his life back, the one I took from him." 128

I didn't know what Damon was thinking and he didn't tell me. Slowly my breathing returned to normal and the tears faded. Without warning I felt a presence behind me. The hair on my arm prickled. Damon had been so quiet I'd never even head him leave the bed. He laid a hand on my shoulder with obvious hesitation. I froze, what was he doing? He seemed to have the same thought because the moment I stiffened he pulled away as if burned. With a faint hiss he left as quietly as he'd come. I didn't say anything more after that and neither did he.129