Asmodeus(58)

When Asmodeus was a few minutes away from Naberius's house he called Naberius on the cell, asking him to open the gates and apprising him of the situation. Arriving at the black gate, she felt like a prisoner all over again. She was determined to leave tonight. Naberius couldn't save her from her true destiny, a punishment no other human had ever been subject to before.



Whatever Kelly had been talking about couldn't be any worse than that fate.



What would happen to Kelly? Could she be saved? Not that she could do much for her friend, especially after Kelly had been so hateful to her.



What kind of friend did that make Brianna? When Asmodeus had taken her from her home Kelly had come to break her out. She had risked her life for her. Kelly had taught her so many things in the years they had known each other. She had taken her under her wing and provided her the learning tools to help with spells, tarot cards and palm reading.



And now, when her friend needed her the most, she was going to turn her back on her? She couldn't do that.



She wouldn't do that.

As they pulled to a stop Brianna's plans had changed. She had to figure out a way to get Kelly out of Raum's house. She would help Kelly let go of the Demonic Book of Spells and the pull it had on her, because it was obvious the book was having a negative effect on Kelly's life.



Asmodeus started climbing out of the car.



"Thanks, but I can find my way in. Have fun with your fanged sluts."



She opened the door and found the restraint not to slam the damn thing shut. She walked around the front of the car, through the headlights, and kept her head held high. This rollercoaster was going to end tonight, and once again her life would get back to some sense of normalcy.



For a few days, anyway.





Asmodeus waited until Brianna walked in the house. He put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.



This was for the best. What could he give her? Nothing. He had nothing to give. Hell, he was living off money he had borrowed from Naberius. He was driving a car loaned to him from Naberius, and he had no home to speak of.



He had no purpose.



Once again on the street he slammed the car into drive. Brianna could take care of herself. She contained the power to do so, if only she would believe in it. Tangling herself in his life would be the mistake of a lifetime. He couldn't fathom why she couldn't see that simple truth.



He glanced at the empty passenger seat. His shirt carried a small trace of her perfume. He tried blocking it out, but it proved to be too difficult. It was as if her presence lingered, taunting him with the possibilities of what could be.



He focused his thoughts on the road, and what he would do when he arrived back at Raum's house. What Kelly had said earlier had been nagging him. Was there someone after Brianna, or had Kelly lost touch with reality? The latter was a definite possibility. Kelly had gone from being a vibrant blonde, full of life and fire, to being a gaunt shadow of her former self. The book had taken its fair share out of her, and she had allowed it.



He'd heard of the book's existence. The demon rumored to have written the Demonic Book of Spells had incorporated spells that required power from both the energy of the earth and the energy of the spell caster's life force. A spell ensured the book could not be materialized, even by that of its maker. Why the book had been created remained a mystery.



Where had Kelly acquired the book? How had she come to understand the language? She could study the script for years, but without a proper teacher, one who was familiar with the book, she couldn't possibly have mastered a grasp on the language. Even he hadn't been able to understand the book. The language had been demonic, but it had a dialect all its own.



There was a demon helping her—there had to be.



Asmodeus came to a red light. He pressed down on the brake and let his head fall back against the headrest. This didn't feel right, but leaving Brianna was his only option. She deserved so much more than he was able to give her. She deserved all this world had to offer. He wasn't of this world. He would never be a part of this world.



A thought kept nagging him. Naberius was happy. He had a wonderful life with Valencia, and they had made their relationship work. He lived in a nice home, led a respectable life. Didn't he deserve happiness, such as what his friend had found? Was it possible?



Visions of Brianna haunted him. He recalled the first time he had seen her, terrified at his presence, yet gathering her wits about her and commanding the situation, aiding him when he needed it. Brianna having a fit, handcuffed to the bed, her hair fanning out around her face. Brianna standing in front of the ocean, trusting him with her private thoughts.

Brianna. His thoughts had centered on her since she had summoned him. She was an enigma, something of which he could not define. Someone who had angered him, cheered him and drove him crazy.