Part 15 (1/2)

”Her body was sliced up beyond recognition,” Steven said. ”She didn't deserve that.”

”Robbie did that,” Evie said. ”Not me.”

”I'll bet you didn't try to stop him,” Roy said.

”No, I didn't,” she replied. ”Look, I don't care how angry you are at me. I'm far more angry at myself. I was tricked. I was supposed to keep Robbie safe for someone, and I failed.”

”Don't you mean 'safe from someone'?” Steven asked. ”Most mothers try to keep their children safe from harm.”

”I think you already know what's going on here,” Evie said, ”so let's not play games.”

”Why don't you tell us?” Roy asked. ”Start at the beginning.”

Evie sighed. ”From the beginning... Alright. My father introduced me to the gift when I was seventeen. I loved it, but after a while it bored me. He bored me. He was very specific about what I could use it for, but I didn't agree with his rules. I sensed there was a lot more out there for me that he wouldn't let me explore. So I went out on my own.

”He was very upset. Like most fathers, I imagine. Tried to reign me in, but wasn't able to do it. I rebelled, big time. I did things just to p.i.s.s my parents off. Got arrested a few times that really angered him. I was delighted whenever he'd become upset with me. It meant I was succeeding somehow, becoming the opposite of what he was, and I liked that. I explored things I could do with the gift that he considered off-limits and evil. It was thrilling. He never knew about most of it. I sensed if he knew all of it, he'd cut me off. I didn't want to be disowned, I just wanted to really p.i.s.s them off.”

Steven glanced at Bill, watching his face for a moment as Evie told her story. He could see in Bill's reaction the recognition of Evie's history as true these were things he'd seen Mark and Evie go through.

”I was hawking some of my mother's jewelry one day,” Evie continued, ”but there was this one ring I kept. I was drawn to it. And when I went in the River, it glowed. I knew it was interesting, so I kept it. Turns out it was the opening.”

”Something that allowed a demon a way in?” Roy asked.

”Yes,” Evie said. ”I a.s.sumed it was my father's and somehow got mixed in with my mom's jewelry, because it was powerful, and something my mother wouldn't know anything about. I couldn't believe he'd leave something like that just lying around. Maybe he didn't know what it was. Anyway, I used it. I put it on. I focused on it. It called someone. Next thing I knew, there was this man in my life. He was huge powerful, s.e.xy, very seductive. He followed me for days. I knew he was different, not normal. When I took him to bed, he revealed himself. I was so enamored with this guy, I would have done anything he asked. As he f.u.c.ked me, he explained what was going to happen. I didn't care, I was getting off on the evilness of it all. It felt like the ultimate f.u.c.k you to my parents, the worst I could hurt them.”

”He told you that you'd have a child,” Roy said.

”Yes,” Evie said, ”and that the child was his. I was to raise it to p.u.b.erty, then he'd take it.”

”How could you raise Robbie,” Bill asked, ”knowing this?”

”I just cut myself off from him,” Evie said. ”At first it was easy. I moved back in with June and she did all the mothering. She thought I was incapable of it, a bad mother, all of that. She gave Robbie everything he needed. I knew what was going to happen to him, so I kept my distance. It got harder as he got older, I'll admit. But I knew there was no point to loving him.”

”And the demon?” Roy asked.

”He checked the baby as soon as it was born,” Evie said. ”Looking for markings, like the ones I have.”

”You're marked?” Steven asked, surprised.

”Yes,” she said. ”On my hands. You'd need a special gla.s.s to see it. I think that's why the demon was interested in me. He was hoping that since I was marked, the baby would be marked too. It doesn't always pa.s.s from parent to child. When he saw the marks on Robbie, he told me it was my job to make sure he was safe until p.u.b.erty. I think if Robbie had been born without the marks, he wouldn't have cared, he would have just moved on, or killed the baby right then, I don't know.”

”Did this demon have a name?” Roy asked.

”Normally, telling you his name would involve you,” Evie said, ”but you're already involved up to your necks. His name is Vohuman. The reason I asked Bill to contact you is to warn you. You're both in danger, but you especially,” she said, nodding at Steven.

”In danger?” Steven asked. ”Why?”

”Vohuman was supposed to take Robbie,” Evie said. ”But I was tricked. Another demon named Aka Manah took him.”

”How do you know this?” Steven asked.

”As things began to happen the last couple of weeks,” Evie said, ”I knew Robbie's time had come. There were several demons in the house, all drawn to Robbie. I knew Vohuman would drive them away when he came to take Robbie. But then you showed up. You scared the demons. When Aka Manah showed up to take Robbie, I thought it was Vohuman. I learned later that I'd been tricked.”

”How did you learn that?” Steven asked.

”Vohuman came to me,” Evie said. ”Explained that it wasn't him that'd taken Robbie, but another demon named Aka Manah. It's what he'd planned all along, what he wanted to happen. The two of them have history that goes way back. Vohuman used Robbie to draw Aka Manah out of hiding. My son was just bait. Ever since the other day, Vohuman has been tracking Aka Manah. He's the one who told me you're next.”

”I'm next?” Steven asked. ”Why?”

”The other demons in the house were scared of you,” Evie said. ”But apparently Aka Manah found you intriguing. He wants you for some reason. I thought I'd warn you. Your intentions were good, I could tell that, but you didn't have a clue what was really happening. In the end you were just an innocent bystander, like Robbie. So I thought I'd warn you.”

”I wish you would have worked with us before,” Roy said. ”We might have been able to save June and Robbie.”

”You couldn't have saved them,” Evie said. ”I've spent the last ten years studying up on Vohuman. He's an ancient demon, far more powerful than any of us. Aka Manah is the same. You can't defeat them. They just use us.”

”Hey,” Roy said, ”keep me out of this. I didn't open my legs for a demon.”

”You should be careful what you say,” Evie said. ”Even saying some things can bring them about.”

Roy scoffed.

”What now?” Steven asked. ”I've been warned. What am I supposed to do? If these demons are as powerful as you say they are, how am I supposed to defend myself?”

”Well,” Evie said, ”I've always enjoyed the company of demons, so I'm no expert at keeping them away. But I do know you have to open yourself up to them. At least that's how it works with me. I use the ring to invite them in, and they come by the dozens. I have my pick of them.”

”Pick of them? For what?” Steven asked.

”Don't be dense,” Roy said. ”She f.u.c.ks them.”

”They're far better f.u.c.ks than a human,” she said. ”Far better.”

”Christ,” Steven said. ”Aren't you afraid of getting pregnant by them?”

”Oh,” Evie said, smiling, ”I've given birth to a few things since Robbie.”

That's where they come from, Steven thought. Creatures like Lukas.

”I think I've heard enough,” Bill said. ”Are we done here?”

”You're wanted, you know,” Steven said to Evie. ”The cops blame you for what happened at the house. Three deaths, maybe four.”

”Yeah,” Evie said. ”They'll never find me. After I leave here, I'm back underground for a while.”

”Probably where you belong,” Roy said.

”It was a risk to come here,” Evie said. ”I didn't have to help you.”

”Why did you then?” Steven asked.