Whiskey Witches, F.J. Blooding [ap literature book list .TXT] 📗

Lucius rampaged through her mind.

Chief White glanced over his shoulder for a brief moment before returning his eyes to the road. “That’s a lot of blood. Are you all right?”

Lucius’ will slammed into Paige, making her head pound. He threw memories at her, forcing her to eat her own emotions. She lost resolve with each blow. It would be so easy to just…slip…to let him take control again.

She straightened slightly. Those memories made her weak, giving the demon something to exploit. She had to stay strong. She couldn’t let him win.

She concentrated on the arm of the door digging into her side.

Ground.

She felt the leather seat under her hand, the odd groaning sound it made under the gentle massage of her drumming fingers.

Center.

The cool of the window at her cheek.

Ground.

The streetlights passing by.

Center.

The man in the driver’s seat, a police chief, someone safe, someone who offered protection.

Paige, Lucius called, his accent putting a lilt to her name. Give me control.

No. She covered her ears with her hands. Ground and center. Maintain control.

I’ll let you have your body back, love. But I need to stop her now. She has the key. I felt it.

And she’ll use you to open the gate. Paige rolled onto her back, one foot propped against the door. I felt that, too. You were going to let her do whatever she wanted.

No. I wouldn’t have allowed it.

How do I know for sure?

“Hey, Doc,” White said. “I need you to meet me at the station. Bring your emergency kit.”

How do I know you’re not really just using me to unleash Hell on Earth?

“I’m bringing in Detective Whiskey. She has cuts and abrasions—Yeah. Again. I know. It’s worse this time. I don’t know how bad, but I think she’s been drugged.”

You don’t, Lucius said. But I am not the bad guy here. I assure you.

“I know. I know. I’ll be there in five minutes. How’s Mr. Colt? He okay?”

You were going to let them use you to open the gate. You had to have known.

I knew they’d try. The power in Lucius’ voice smothered her weakened will. I misjudged their strength. That will not happen again.

“Good. Okay. Bring him with you.”

You must believe me, Paige. Please. I am trying to stop them.

Right. Believe him after what he was doing to her? To gain control of her body? You tricked me.

You left me no choice. I left your mind intact. When I leave, you will continue to be you.

“We’ll get you help, Paige.” Chief White peered over his shoulder again. The whites of his eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. “Okay? Just hold on.”

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on. If the world had any justice, she’d be allowed a moment of weakness, a second to close her eyes and regroup. Not now. You need my body.

Yes, love. I do. I cannot stop her bodiless. I have no power without one.

You were a human. You were born. You’re not a demon, so how are you doing this?

I was human, Paige. His voice was like a soft, comforting blanket. The barrage of memories ceased.

So, you’re a demon now?

Yes.

Reality slipped, then righted itself. Was it the drug? Or something else?

“Paige,” the chief called, “what drug did they give you?”

She was just so tired. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and go to sleep. Sleep. Good…God. Sleep.

“Paige!”

You’ve gotta release, love.

She couldn’t. She’d already let the damned thing possess her. She couldn’t allow him to regain control, too.

Lucius rammed himself into her.

She heard a rib crack with the force. The lights blurred on either side of her. The shadows slithered into pointed, menacing shapes. Her stomach lurched into her throat. Too much. Too crazy. So much pain. Had to stop. Had…to…stop.

Give me control.

That command ripped through her mind.

“What drug are you on?”

“Mushrooms.” Her voice was a bare rasp. Ground and center. Damn it. She hugged herself tighter against her shivers.

“Talk to me,” he said, allowing for no other options in his tone. “How are you feeling?”

Paige, Lucius commanded.

She closed her eyes again. “Not good. Hurry. I need Grandma.”

You will release your control.

“No.” Paige gritted her teeth with the effort to hold him back. The muscles on her shoulder blades sent needles of pain coursing down her arms.

“Paige! Talk to me. How are you feeling?”

“Cold.” A violent shudder tore through her body.

Lucius punched with his will.

Her head hit the window.

“What did they do to you in there?”

She sobbed. She was out of strength and out of her league.

“Did they cut you?”

“Yes.”

“Badly?”

The onslaught continued inside her body, inside her soul. She held firm as best she could, not knowing exactly what she was doing.

She closed her eyes, resting for one…second.

Lucius.

Demon.

Her eyes opened, half by her control, half by his. She bit down hard, her jaw aching. She clenched her fingers around her arms, fighting to push him back, to maintain the upper hand.

“How bad are you hurt?”

She couldn’t answer him. Her body bled inside and out. A dizzy maelstrom overtook her mind.

Lucius was stronger.

“Paige.” The chief put the car in park. He twisted in his seat, tossing his seatbelt out of the way. His hand came towards her.

Paige jerked her body as far away from his hand as she could. “Stay back.”

That voice wasn’t hers. Deeper. Darker. Multi-tonal.

No.

Hysteria rose in her chest. She couldn’t let the demon in. She fought with everything she had.

She bared her teeth, releasing a demonic scream.

Shit.

Paige peered through eyes no longer her own. Her lips twisted into a sneer. Strength infused her body. Her body hurled out of the car and into the man before her.

The chief barely had time to raise his hands in front of him.

Paige watched helplessly as her colleague’s body was tossed across the parking lot to land in the grass in front of the building. Oh, God. Help me. Please.

“Back, demon,” Dexx yelled from the yard. He stepped toward her, wearing torn blue jeans and a ragged t-shirt, a wooden cross held out in front of him.

Her body chuckled. Lucius raised her hands in front of them. “A cross?”

Her voice, tainted by the demon’s soft accent.

Paige prepared herself for battle, digging deep in the emotions the demon had thrust at her. They could be used as power against him. She’d get her body back and send him packing.

Dexx advanced on them, his face serious as his other hand fumbled in the duffle bag slung over his shoulder. “Abeo inimicus.”

Lucius wrapped Paige around him like a shield.

She took the brunt of Dexx’s command. It gripped her with a fury she simply could not fight off, pushing her away, forcing her to leave. Blackness called to her, beckoned, beseeched. When the power behind the command finally dispersed, she settled somewhere in the back of her own mind, exhausted.

The demon smiled. “Well, you’re a helpful sort of lad, aren’t you?”

Dexx glared at them. Not at them. At the demon hunkering inside her. “Impero cui en apollo Christo.”

“Absit.” Lucius’ will released like a whip. “Your grammar is abominable. Were you telling me to follow the orders of God, or give them to Him? I didn’t follow.”

Dexx