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Both my living room and the layer of my Gran’s house settled over it disappeared. A chill moved down my back as skeletal arms held my waist just as Asmodeus had. Only this hold was thorns and menace. It was being trapped in helplessness as chilled breath blew against my neck and a putrid stench assaulted my nose.
“There you are.” The voice of the witch flooded my ears.
Nothingness surrounded me until I couldn’t breathe. The look of confusion and fear on my girls’ faces was the last thing I saw as a hand pressed firmly against my mouth, keeping me from calling to the demon I knew would save me.
34
ASMODEUS
Panic surged into my chest and for the first time in my long life, I didn’t know if it was mine. Breathlessness overcame me as the last vestiges of Eden’s house dripped away and we were all left standing in Lulu’s living room.
Her eyes were wide, her grip around the tray in her hand firm though the teacups rattled as she looked around at the women Eden constantly held in her company before they dropped to settle on me. The hardwood drove into my knees as my nails carved at it, my eyes watering.
“See! I told y’all we couldn’t trust him but don’t no one want to listen to Imani!”
The last thing I needed now was this woman and her nonsense.
“In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, we ask you to banish this demon from our world!” Imani shouted. “Take him from us and deliver us… our Eden.”
“Imani!” Alicia snapped.
“What is it? What’s going on?” Lulu set the tray down on the coffee table. “Catalina!”
“Hey!” Metal pressed into my side, nothing more than a nuisance though there was a grunt of attempted strength behind it. “Where the hell is she? What did you do with her?”
These women and their ceaseless nagging. Red hued my vision as fear and emptiness pushed into my chest, every inch of me aching. Overcome.
What was happening to me?
“Imani, would you put the damn bat down?” Alicia shouted.
I pushed out my magic, needing the space to take a single breath that wasn’t filled with anguish. Sorrow inflated my chest, but I aimed my lust at Imani.
A yelp rang through the air as she stood up. She straightened, shoulders squared as she crossed her legs at the ankles and squeezed her thighs together. A breathless sound left her and her lips thinned. Eyes rolled back, her head fell slowly back.
I sucked in a sharp breath as she was distracted.
The sound of the metal bat being banged repeatedly against the floor pushed all the other women’s words into the background as Imani moaned and then bared her teeth. “Stop that, demon!”
“I will when you do,” I forced out.
“Are none of y’all feeling this?” She stomped her foot on the ground like the petulant thing she was. “Why is he only doing this to me? Do you know how frustrating this is? My husband is starting to fear for his life!”
“Serves you right, woman.” It was hard to argue with her when it felt like all the hollows of me were filled with endless torment.
“Girls! Stop! Everyone sit, now!” Lulu’s voice cut through the muffled arguing that barely reached my ears. They complied as easily as Eden would, a scurry of feet moving through the blur of my vision as I blinked back tears.
I couldn’t breathe through this agony. I couldn’t handle the heaviness in my chest.
“What’s all this noise?” Catalina asked. “Asmodeus?”
“Wait? You know him?” Vi asked. “You know the demon? He just… came out of a book. Started talking about a key and Eden and wife and all this stuff and now she is all wrapped up with him and gone. She’s gone! He did something to her. He had to have. He said he didn’t want anything with her… wouldn’t kill her… but he’s a demon. Demons lie. Right? That’s their whole thing. Lies.” Her words came too fast. It was an assault on my ears.
That and the incessant heartbeat that wouldn’t quiet.
My hands clasped over my ears as I pressed my brow to the floor. Everything was so loud and my chest felt filled to the brim.
A hand on my back made me jump.
