CRISSA
I stood in an absolute and never-ending pool of darkness, feeling lost and ungrounded. “Hello?” I called out, my voice rippling as if someone would actually reply to me. “Where am I?” My eyes wandered around, searching for something—anything to tell me where I was or what was happening.
“Crissa,” my name whispered and circled around me like a shark in the water.
My body spun searching for whoever spoke it, but it was too dark to see anything. “Who–who said that?” My voice quivered. “Who are you?!” I shouted out into the abyss.
A hot breath brushed along the side of my face as something sharp and pointed brushed my hair aside. “Crissa.” Whatever it was, it whispered my name into my ear and sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to scream and run, but my fear kept me frozen. “Fear not, for I am the one you summoned.”
Wait…does that mean?—
“Yes,” he whispered again. “My name is Zethiloneous and I am a demon.” Sharp claws surrounded my face and I felt his presence press against my back. “Yourdemon to be exact.”
My demon?
He laughed, the sudden loud sound making me jolt. “Oh, do not confuse my kindness to help you in your revenge as ownership. I am only yours until your vengeance is fulfilled. Then, you are merely a human no longer possessed by me.”
P–possessed?
“Oh yes.” He removed his claws, sliding them across my face, then played with my hair. “You offered your body and soul to me, therefore I am in possession of you.” His words frightened me. “Don’t fret, little human. I will only take control when it’s absolutely necessary.”
What does that even mean?
“It means, dear Cris–sa,” he hissed my name. “That I will take a back seat and allow you to go about your day, living your mundane little life until an opportunity presents itself. Then, I will take control and condemn those who would dare harm you byanymeans necessary.” The demon stepped away, making me gasp for air at the loss of his presence along my body.
Loud, sucking breaths filled my lungs. “So—I’m possessed? Byyou—Zethil—Zetha?—”
“You may refer to me as Zeth, human. I know my true name is a bit much for your tiny brain to comprehend, so let us keep things more simple.” His voice surrounded me. “But a warning…our deal, sealed with your blood and life, cannot be broken. We shall remain tied to one another, our dark little hearts intertwined until your vengeance is fully satisfied. Only then can we part. And no one can know of my existence. For if you dare speak the truth onto another, you mark them.”
Mark them? For what? Death?
I tried to fully wrap my head around everything he said, but it was too much. Too overwhelming.
Zeth’s voice returned. “Rest for now, dear Crissa.” Something sharp poked my temple and my body instantly went numb, crashing into the dark puddle of the abyss. “Sleep, for when you awaken, your rebirth shall be complete.”
My…rebirth…
CHAPTER 4
CRISSA
“Is it…moving?”Lying on my bed, I stared up at the popcorn ceiling. There was no other explanation for what I was seeing as I lay there, watching the textured ceiling swirl around like little individual pebbles jumbling over one another, mingling together across the ceiling. “It must be.” I raised my hands and swayed them around, pretending to touch them. “Or areyoufucking with my mind again?”
You can’t tell what I'm doing to you or what’s of your own volition can you?
Zeth chuckled, his eerie laugh echoing in my mind.
Always so fun, dear Crissa.
I groaned. “Why do I feel like I’m going to have to ask myself that question all the time now?” The demon laughed again and I sighed. “You need to get a grip, Crissa.” My spine stiffened as I sat up straight in bed. I could still hear Zeth’s sadistic laugh rolling around in my skull. “Ugh! What the fuck?” I whined, pulling at the hair on the sides of my head until I was sure my scalp would bleed. But the laughing didn’t stop. I then reached for the pillow behind me, slammed my face into it, and screamed until my throat burned.
Behaving like a brat won’t silence me, human. Only bloodthirsty vengeance will.
My head raised. “It’s not my fault they haven’t returned to the pizzeria since that night,” I snapped. Zeth hissed. “You know, you’re perfectly capable of taking control and handling this all by yourself. You don’t even need me.”
Oh, but I do. I cannot physically do anything with your body as my vessel. And the only way I can seek them out, is if you give me full control…which you still refuse to do.
Clutching the pillow, I stood and walked over to my vanity. In the reflection, staring back at me was a face, one almost identical to mine, only much more horrific with blacked-out eyes, sharp teeth, and an aura of evil seeping from it. “You know, for an all-powerful demon,” I addressed Zeth, “you sure can’t seem to do much of anything on your own.” His smile slowly fell. “And I’m not giving you full control.”
