The Shelf (Dead-End Ave) Page 16

  ‘Well! That’s the last time I share anything with him.’ Honestly, she didn’t know why he had fallen so silent, and there was a good chance that her imagination was just running away with her. Maybe he was just tired, or scared. But she couldn’t help thinking that he could have at least responded with something positive, after she’d pointed the fact about Aeryal’s shelf.

  They came to a passage that ended into a ‘T’, going left and right. Both hallways ended in a door, almost hidden behind rubble. It would be a pain trying to pry either one open. Korey led them into the left passageway before glancing back at her again. “Do you remember whether the lobby was on the left, or the right side of the building?”

  Still angry, she just grunted.

  This time, he didn’t even look back. Korey kept walking, but Bri could feel the sudden tension mount between them. “Oh, how could I forget?” he sneered. “You’d rather be with your boy-toy right now. Excuse me for asking stupid questions, trying to help us find a way out of here.”

  Heat rushed her face as Korey’s snide words rolled over her. Truthfully, her bad mood still had to do more with the fact that Korey had withheld his identity from her than anything, but a portion of it was also guilt. The guilt she felt after Korey had discovered that she was sharing a room with Gerald. ‘But why should I feel any guilt at all? He’s the one that lied!’ “So what?” she shot back. “At least he likes me, likes me, and he’s not just pretending to, either. I can always be sure of that!”

  Stopping so abruptly that Bri slammed into his back, Korey spun around and glared at her. “You want to be certain of something?”

  Without warning, he put both arms around her and yanked her to him. Their lips clashed at first, but then softened and they were kissing. Korey kissed the way his heart beat against her shirt, hard and intense. There was another pounding happening, and it occurred to Bri that it was her own heart making all the racket. It didn’t matter that it was drowning out everything else because there was a rushing sound in her ears that would have done the job, anyway. His hands tightened and Korey moved just a little bit closer, if it was even at all possible.

  “Why are you kissing me?” she whispered between breaths.

  The rush of warm air from his parted lips gently grazed her skin. “Because I’ve wanted to from the first day I met you.”

  She took a few steps backward, and he moved right with her, until they were pressed against the opposite wall. They kept kissing, excitement and lust and feelings bouncing between the two of them. Feelings that were growing stronger and stronger as they made out furiously.

  All Bri could think about was Korey’s arms tight around hers, and his mouth pressed against hers, and the way she liked him more than any other guy she had ever met, and…..

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

  Startled by the sudden intrusion, both Korey and Bri jumped as they broke apart.

  Bri’s brain surged with irritation as she considered that their kiss was over much too soon, in her opinion. Then, she actually looked beyond Korey’s head to see who had interrupted them. Gerald’s grinning face greeted her.

  “Gerald,” she gasped. “I….I don’t-,”

  “Bri, sweetie. Looks like you’re enjoying yourself. That’s good.” The huge grin was now starting to irritate the heck out of Bri.

  ‘Why is he smiling? At the least, I would have thought that he’d be super pissed. Cause really, didn’t we just kiss in my room? I mean, I know this is a little wrong on my part, but he should at least be asking some questions right now….’

  And then her mind was completely someplace else again as Gerald’s eyes began to glow with an eerie red light. He spoke again, voice deepening into the dead tones of Rikgso. Jaw dropped, Bri just gaped at the demonic tone that came from his lips. “How did you like my explosions? It is a shame that I don’t know if your other friends survived it. It does not appear so. I told you, human, that I am very serious. Watch and tell me what you think.”

  With one careful wave of his hand, Gerald grinned maniacally as the air beside him shimmered, and an image appeared with it. Bri’s heart sank as she saw both Deanna and Rob trapped beneath piles of rubble. Neither of them was moving, and she had a terrible feeling that her friends weren’t just unconscious. A wild feeling of grief enveloped her as it occurred to her that time had run out. Maybe she and Korey didn’t get to live another day, didn’t get to learn to enjoy each other’s company. Maybe this was it.

  Korey, clearly not liking what he saw, threw one hand protectively in front of Bri. “What the hell? What are you?”

  Bri, sensing that their situation was going south pretty quickly, gripped the back of Korey’s shirt. She began to back toward the door, pulling Korey, reluctantly, along with her. Neither of them moved their eyes from the demon’s face.

  A bitter laugh ripped from the other boy’s throat. “The first question actually answers the second. Hell exactly. I would ask who you are, but I know exactly who you are. The precious Korey. Bri can barely keep her mind off of you.” He crossed his arms, and pretended to think. “Driving up here, it was really difficult to get her to even talk to me. But maybe if you’re out of the picture…..she can be mines, for good.”

  “Hey! She’s not a thing that you can own, you douche.”

  They had reached the door and praying for luck, Bri whirled to face it and twisted the knob. “Of course,” she mumbled under her breath. It was locked. As she fumbled clumsily with the lock, she realized that the knob was turning too easily for it actually to be locked. It seemed to be jammed. Dust and pebbles rained down on them as she yanked on the door. Gerald’s laughter floated up to her.

  “Where ya’ going? Out for some air?” he sniggered.

  With that, Bri could have slapped herself. Throwing her shoulder instead against the door, she almost stumbled to the ground as it flew open onto a back deck. She and Korey hurried through the door, scanning for an escape. There was none. They were on a tiled deck, overlooking a scenic, but long drop. This section of the hostel hadn’t escaped the blast either; a large section of the wooden railing was missing, instead replaced by broken wood and chipped rock. Small and large bits of debris alike littered the deck.

  They were trapped. Backing against the building, Bri reasoned that it was better to stay to the inner side than try to run toward the edge. ‘Either way, though, we’re screwed.’ Gerald leaped, an impossible jump for a human, over them and landed in front of them, cockily turning his back to the railing.

  Korey repositioned himself back in front of her; in fact, he had stepped a bit more in front to completely block her, but Bri slid from behind him.

  “Gerald-,”

  Another bitter laugh filled the air as Gerald pulled something from his pocket. Holding the item up, he dangled it teasingly. “Look at what I have,” was his reply in a sing-song voice. “Thank you, Bri, it’s everything I ever wanted.”

  Automatically, her hands flew to her neck, but there was no point. The item he was swinging in the air cockily was the pendant. Vaguely, she remembered him taking it off her neck in the car, but at the time, she hadn’t thought that it was a problem. Now that it was clear that Gerald had been possessed by Rikgso, Bri knew that it was actually a HUGE problem.

  Sometimes it didn’t hurt to ask….. “Give that back, Gerald,” she said, at the same time that Korey snarled, “That doesn’t belong to you, freak,” and took a menacing step forward.

  Too fast to see, a bolt of light left Gerald’s hands and zapped the ground mere inches away from Bri’s foot. Crying out, she jumped back and Gerald cackled with that ugly laughter again. Steam rose from the spot with an ominous sizzle, and the resulting heat rolled over her in a wave. It was clear that the demon meant business.

  Pretending to be puzzled, Gerald slapped the pendant against his cheek, as if thinking. “Hhhmm, why would I want to do that? With it, I can possess anyone I choose. I want that box too. Once I have that, I can download my full p
owers to this body. There’s so much for me to gain. Plus, once I get the blood, I can make this human body immortal, while my demon body stays trapped in the form the Holders condemned me to. I’ll be free. And my revenge on those wretched families will be even sweeter.”

  “Revenge?” Her voice rose up to an astonished squeak. “You already had your revenge. Every woman in the Swan family has been murdered by you. So much so that you even ran out of people to kill. That’s why you’ve been hunting me.”

  An amused look spread across the demonic mask. “Little beautiful, innocent Bri. You should ask yourself why I have made it my lifelong quest to murder the betraying Swan family and their cohorts. You dumb humans. You don’t even know the power you hold in your hands. Stealing sacred objects without knowing how to use them.” He studied the pendant thoughtfully before placing it against his chest, where it sank into his skin. “Ask yourself why they have kept my body tortured and imprisoned.”

  He was right. Bri paused as she realized she had never actually discovered the full reason for the curse on any of the families, not just the Swans; she been too busy running for her life.

  “It’s his smile!” Korey yelled suddenly. “Don’t look at it! It’s how he’s been controlling you. The magic fed into you through the brands is allowing him to sway you.”

  Horror blanketed her, and Gerald gave that seductive smile again. Bri felt her heart beginning to race and she remembered exactly why she’d liked Gerald in the first place. Handsome. Funny. Smart. Protecting. She could hear Korey’s words, but at the same time, they weren’t as important as getting lost in the comfort of Gerald’s smile. Her Gerald.

  “I’m sorry to do this, babe,” Korey muttered, just before whipping out the staff and slashing it across her forearm. It was a clean slice, and in shock, Bri watched a solid patch of skin separate from her body. The black markings of the demon brands stared up at her from the jagged section of hacked-off skin now lying on the deck.

  Nausea and pain flooded her senses and she screamed. Blinding white rays of agony shot across her vision, and Bri bent double, clutching her arm so tightly that her fingers cut in. Then she raised her eyes to the demon across from her, and for the first time, could see him clearly.

  He was still Gerald, but almost with a wax mask over his features. She could see the horrible demon behind his boyish looks, like an overlay. Red eyes, rimmed in the eerie green of Rikgso’s power, glared at her. His arms had elongated slightly, similar to the demon’s, and long claws protruded from the ends. She shuddered, grateful that she could see the horrible thing facing her clearly.

  Gerald/ Rikgso cocked its head. “Now why would you do that, Holder?”

  “Because you’re a total douche that deserves to be imprisoned. Stay back, Bri.” Without warning, Korey launched himself at Gerald, sending the other boy flying back into the crumbling wall. Then a barrage of blows descended on Gerald’s face from Korey’s arms, and Bri relaxed a tiny bit, seeing that Korey had the upperhand.

  Until Gerald began to fight back.

  Ordinarily, it would have been no match; Korey’s lean, muscular physique to Gerald’s slim, lanky frame, but it was clear that demonic intervention was at work. The way the younger boy recovered from the blows was practically impossible, as was the way he suddenly gripped Korey by the neck, lifting him off the ground. The staff clattered uselessly to the tiles, forgotten.

  Flinging Korey back into the opposite wall, Gerald bellowed angrily, eyes glowing with fury. He charged within seconds, but Bri was waiting. She had seized a broken length of wood and now as Gerald raced forward, slammed it into his head. He faltered, staggered two steps backward, and that was all the time Korey needed to recover and charge him again.

  With his own makeshift club, Korey smashed it over and over into Gerald’s head. His earlier cockiness gone, the younger boy seemed to feel the impact of every blow. Blood already seeped from a nasty gash on his head and his movements began to slow.

  Apparently, Korey decided the other boy had enough and tossed aside the club, backing away. He stood, stared at Gerald one last time, and then turned to Bri, slightly out of breath.

  “Do you have-,” he began, just as Bri screamed, “Korey, look out!” But it was too late. Head wound miraculously healed, Gerald flew to his feet and seized Korey in vise-like headlock before Bri’s warning was finished. The only evidence of his earlier beating was the blood that streaked his face and shirt. There was no damage to him otherwise; Rikgso’ powers had healed him.

  Bri could even see the slight alien-like green glow that emitted from Gerald’s body, from his muscles especially as he choked Korey out. Panic filled Bri as she watched Korey struggle for his life.

  “Gerald!” she shouted, taking one step forward. “Stop! I’ll give it to you! I’ll give you the box.”

  She knew what she was agreeing and by the sudden, straggled sounds Korey was making, he did too and disagreed, but she had to do something. Demon-possessed Gerald was strong enough, and crazy enough, to stand there and choke Korey to death. She couldn’t let that happen. Though she had spent the last 12 hours running away from Korey, she was finally admitting it to herself: she was in love. With him.

  At first, Gerald ignored her, intent on stilling Korey’s weakening struggle, but then he glanced up. “The box?” he asked, red eyes trained on her. “Really?”

  His hold on Korey seemed as tight as ever, but it must have weakened a tiny bit, because Korey suddenly gripped Gerald’s forearms and flung him over his head. Bri heard a nasty crack as Gerald’s head hit the wooden column. But she wasn’t concerned with that at the moment. Running toward Korey, she noted that he wasn’t looking too hot. Korey took two steps, faltered, and fell to his knees. Then he started trying to push himself up again.

  “Stay there,” she called. “I’m coming!”

  In a flash, the situation changed again. She didn’t see his movement, but as Korey stood, Gerald was in his face, once again with no visible wounds. Korey looked to be on the verge of passing out, yet he flung another, weaker, fist at the demon.

  A maniacal grin spread over the younger boy’s face, and he sidestepped the blow in a blur. Then, as Bri watched, scream lodged in her throat, he grabbed Korey’s arm and swung him toward the wooden guardrail.

  The events were unbelievable; it was as if time had slowed for Bri as she watched the unthinkable occur.

  A sickening crunch of bones as Korey hit the solid timber. His shout as he toppled over the rail. Bri’s frightened shriek as Korey disappeared over the side.

  To the long drop below.

  CHAPTER

  22

  She screamed as Korey fell over the cliff, his scream echoing all the way down the long drop until it suddenly stopped.

  “No!” Bri sobbed.

  “Yes!” Then Gerald/ Rikgso laughed that cruel laugh. Bri hated it; she hated him. Actually, it wasn’t Gerald at all who she hated; just the demon who’d possessed him. Poor Gerald hadn’t done anything more than be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  Because of her.

  He stretched out his arms and beckoned. “Come to me.”

  “No.” Backing away from his horrible crimson eyes, she shook her head violently. “Stay away from me, you murderer.”

  The laughter filled the air again, making her wince. “Name-calling doesn’t hurt me, little one. Come.” Stepping toward her, he followed her as she continued backing to the edge of the terrace. As her back hit the wooden railing, Bri realized he was still advancing and started moving sideways, away from him. The open air was cool against her back as they left the railed part of the terrace and began skirting the destroyed area.

  “You’re still a murderer.”

  His eyes flashed. “You know, you were right that first time when you asked me not to kill you. You’ve turned out to be quite useful.” His demonic tone made the hairs on her arms rise. It was eerie watching Rikgso’s voice come out of Gerald’s mouth, sweet Gerald, who she had helped with hi
s homework just weeks before.

  “Join me,” he commanded, eyes of scarlet red trained on her.

  “Never! You killed Korey,” she said, her own voice shaky, but cold.

  Gerald shrugged. “I can replace him. You can pretend that I’m him if you want.”

  Bri’s blood raced as she realized that there was nothing left to protect her from the long drop Korey had done. Only six feet between her and Gerald, and none at all between her and the edge.

  He seemed to figure what she was thinking. “What are you so afraid of, Bri? I’m not such a bad guy, ask Aeryal. She can tell you. In fact, she probably will as soon as you two see each other again. Which should be really soon, if you don’t want to join with me.”

  Was it just her imagination, or had Gerald gotten a little closer? “Leave me alone.”

  “I might, if you tell me where the box is.” His tone turned cajoling. “That’s all I really want. Just tell me.”