A Friend to the Darkness. Katherine Rathbone

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СКАЧАТЬ He raised his eyebrows at me. “Could… would you mind… Could you stay next to me?” I hated how vulnerable my voice sounded.

      He smiled at me, and wordlessly climbed in beside me, gathering me into his arms. I drifted off to sleep snuggled up to him, the scent of hot cinnamon doughnuts and rain after a hot day filling my nostrils.

      Ten.

      I was dreading going to school on Monday. I walked slowly, arriving a couple minutes late to avoid running in to anyone before class started. At recess, Jonathon approached me with some mates in tow. I was glad to notice his black eye, split lip, and limp.

      “Katie, can we talk?” He asked diffidently.

      I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. “What about? How you tried to rape me?”

      His friends looked uncomfortable, and he blushed. “Aw, c’mon, baby. It wasn’t like that.”

      I took a step closer, and pointed my finger at him. I spoke coldly and clearly. “If you call me ‘baby’ one more time, or touch me ever again, now that I’m not drugged, I’ll make that side of your face match this one.” I turned and stalked away, not betraying how hard my heart was beating.

      “Katie!” He called after me, his voice a little desperate. I turned and looked at him. “Who… what… Those, uh, people. What were they?” He finished in a rush. His friends looked at him in confusion.

      I grinned at him. “Why do you ask?”

      “They, uh…” He glanced at his friends. “They looked… weird.”

      “How so?” I asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

      “They…” He swallowed hard. “They were demons!” He hissed, a scared look on his face. His friends laughed out loud at him. I raised an eyebrow, then turned away again, smiling to myself.

      I was halfway home after school when he called out to me again. He was alone this time, and no one else was around. He hurried closer, and I considered running for it. I didn’t want him to know I was scared though, so I pasted a derisive look on my face and waited for him.

      “Seriously, Katie. I need to know. What the fuck were those things?” His tone was a little desperate.

      I shrugged. “I dunno what the fuck you’re talking about. Maybe it’s just your conscience.”

      “Tell me, you fucking bitch!” He reached out to grab me. I dodged easily, and fulfilled my promise from earlier of evening out his black eyes. I must have prayed to Seth in the back of my mind, because I saw him appear, glamour in place, as Jonathon tried to tackle me. I dodged again, spinning and sweeping his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard.

      “Hiya, Katie. You good?” Seth drawled as he swaggered closer.

      “Hey, Seth. Yeah, I’m good. How have you been?”

      “Never better. Oop, watch out, the worm is trying to walk.” Jonathon was climbing to his feet, his face contorted with rage.

      “What, you here to protect her or some shit? From what?” His voice was acid.

      Seth laughed. “Oh, she does not need me to protect her. When she hasn’t been roofied, anyway. I’m just here for the show.”

      “You! You were there! You’re one of those things! What the fuck are you?” Jonathon approached Seth, studying him closely. Seth smiled his lazy smile, and for an instant, switched his glamour to the horrifying visage the others had shown Jonathon on the weekend. Jonathon scrambled back so hard he fell on his arse.

      “Katie! You had to have seen that!” He pleaded with me.

      “Seen what? Stay the fuck away from me, you crazy bastard.” I snarled at him.

      Seth slung his arm across my shoulders, and waved a mocking wave as we walked away, saying loudly to me, “I told you he wasn’t good enough for you.” After a little while he added gently, taking his arm off my shoulders, “You had him, dear one. You didn’t need me.”

      I grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze, letting it go again and saying, “Yeah, I guess the logical side of my brain knew that. But the scared little girl side called you anyway.” I offered a shy smile. We reached my house, and he took me by the shoulders and looked at me seriously.

      “I’m here, whenever you call, Katie. I’ll never wait again. You have my oath.” His face was the most earnest I had ever seen it.

      “Thank you.” I said genuinely. Then I added, “Feel free to wait a little while though. I mean, long enough to put some clothes on is just fine.” I eyed him up and down as I walked towards my door. He laughed at me and called out, “Oh, no, dear one. You call me, you risk calling all of me.”

      “Guess I’ll be calling Sera from here on out then!”

      He grinned and disappeared.

      Eleven.

      It was another couple of months before the Enforcers came for me again. I had trained hard over that time, and I was starting to get good. I didn’t panic this time when they appeared out of nowhere in the bush while I was walking Rufus. I bent down and unclipped his lead, allowing him to bolt away in terror, without taking my eyes off the demons. I drew two of the knives that I had started to carry hidden on my body, and said, without a waver in my voice (which I was so proud of), “Hear me, Luciferian Lords! I Katie, Familiar of your Sect, require your help!”

      The Enforcers snarled and came at me. I threw the knives I was holding, embedding both in their guts, and turned and ran, drawing my favourite double bladed knife as I moved. Sera, Seth, Sebastian and Chris appeared in front of me. I ran behind them, then turned to face the approaching demons.

      “Keep running, dickhead!” Sebastian yelled at me.

      “No fucking way. What if there’s more waiting up ahead?” I retorted.

      “You guys, we should show her that thing.” Chris suggested.

      Sera snorted. “Are we sure she wouldn’t use it on us?”

      “She wouldn’t.” Seth asserted quietly.

      “I trust her.” Sebastian added.

      “Yeah, I guess I do too.” Sera admitted. “Alright, let’s do it. Seth with me, Sebastian and Chris run distraction.”

      “I outrank you, sister.” Sebastian reminded her, but did as she said anyway.

      They fought, and soon Sera and Seth had subdued one of the demons, while the others distracted the other. “Katie! Over here!” Sera panted. I complied, knife in hand, watching carefully to make sure the demon didn’t break free. “Carve your initials in his face.” She commanded. I blinked at her, and the demon went absolutely wild.

      “Quickly!” Seth shouted at me. Confused, I complied.

      I was shocked to see my friends let him go, and I adopted a defensive posture. He sank to his knees, and bowed his head before СКАЧАТЬ