A gargled scream clogged up my throat, but before I could release it, a familiar wave of darkness overcame me. A blanket was draped over my body, swallowing me up as if the viper had opened its jaws and devoured me. But alas, it had not. Because this viper was ademon, somehow brought forwards from my use of Bahmet.
“You are so very welcome for me saving your worthless little life,”it hissed through my skull, sarcasm strong enough to rival my own.“Not that I had a choice. And believe me, I hate your kind too. Disgusting, fleshy humans.”
One moment I knelt on the floor ready to meet my end, and the next I was spat out of the darkness in the middle of my bedroom back in Romy’s apartment. The gaping maw of shadow receded, leaving in its place the little viper whose amber eyes were pinned to me.
“Little?”
Eyes wide and unblinking, I scrambled back on my hands, knocking over my makeshift altar all whilst refusing to look away from the viper. Candles scattered across the floor, one coming to roll against the viper which clearly displeased it. “Get out of my head!”
“Is that the thanks that I get for saving you?”The viper coiled its body into a spring, the tip of its tail making a rattling sound as it shivered.“Doing exactly what you required of me to do.”
“But I didn’t do anything.” The shard of Bahmet had done this.
“And yet, here I am. Dragged away from my life of luxury to serve you. This was not how I saw my existence going, I canassure you. But alas, we are now bound together until I perish, or you die. So, who is doing who the favour first?”
I was one-hundred-percent aware I was arguing with a snake.
“I don’t even know who you are.” It took a lot of effort for me not to pick up the Witch Hunter’s athame that I’d stolen, and use it to cut the demon before me into quarters. But that would mean getting close enough to it, and I really didn’t want that either.
My reaction had little to do with my fear of demons, and everything to do with my ophidiophobia.
“The name is Emon, but you can call me Warden of the Chasm, Lord of the Wastes and soon-to-be Heir of the Unseen.”The viper’s tongue forked outwards, licking the air as he familiarised himself with the new surroundings.“And you must be the thorn-in-our-arse Hector Briar. Oh, yes. I know who you are. Your room is… like a cesspit of teenage depression and obsession with the occult. What have I gotten myself into helping you… oh wait, I didn’t have a choice, did I?”
Perhaps I should’ve thanked the demon for helping me out of my dire situation, but I couldn’t get past his attitude. “Well, Emon, you are more than welcome to go back to whatever dark hole you slithered your way out of. I don’t need you.”
I needed Caym.
“Is that a command, master? Because I am sure you do not need me to remind you that Caym is dead, and you have nofamiliarto help you anymore.”
The way he called me master was certainly supposed to be riddled with irony. But it was the mention of Caym that turned my fear to fury.
“Yes,” I shouted. “Go away.”
It was a futile attempt, for I couldn’t eternally get rid of Emon. But I knew enough of the rules of witches and familiars.If the demon was now my familiar, he would be forced to listen to my commands. And lo and behold, Emon followed the order. Just as the bedroom door swung wide open, the viper dissipated into shadow, although his presence didn’t leave the reaches of my psyche too far.
“Call upon me if and when required. As you have already shown to know the rules between our bond, you also know that I can never stray too far. I am forever beholden to serve… unless you die, that is.”
I was sure I heard the demon’s laugh fade into the back of my head.
“Hector!”
My attention snapped to the person who had just barged into the room. Blame it on my mild concussion, but I could hardly think straight.
Romy stood in the doorframe, panting and frantic. Her hair was a mess, her face smudged with blood and ash, likely looking no better than I did. Seeing her broke something in me.
“You’re alive,” I said, shattering the silence. It was all I could think to say.
“So are you,” she replied, panting as if she’d just run a marathon to get here.
There wasn’t an inch of my body that she didn’t look over. My torn knees, my bleeding head and the bruises that likely blossomed across most of my flesh.
I nodded, aware of how much my body ached. “Just about.”
Noise exploded from somewhere behind her. Romy turned around, swearing beneath her breath before entering the room and slamming the door. “We’ve got to go. Now.”
I tried to stand but my legs were weak. My body felt as though I’d been struck by something large, which it would have been if Bahmet hadn’t swallowed the helicopter up in shadow.
The apartment shook violently. “That would be the front door.” Again, the floor trembled, knocking items from my desk onto the floor. “Do you think they’ll keep knocking, or just break their way in?” Romy asked, the question almost to herself.
