She stepped through the massive oak doors of the church, both intricately inlaid with gold and glass. Dread pounded though her blood. Something in her gut told her that not even these beautiful and holy doors could keep them out, or she hoped, from finding her. Her footsteps echoed around the massive hall as she made her way down the line of marble flooring of the entryway. Streams of light in hues of crimson, emerald and cobalt flowed in from the stained glass windows, each beautifully depicting a scene from the leather-bound Bibles that rested in holders behind each row of seats.

She’d never been Catholic, but where else could she go? This seemed like the last place to find solace before they took her away. The last place to make peace with herself.

She paused at the fonts in front of the massive archways that separated the entrance from the pews. She looked down into the crystal clear water, taking in soft grey eyes, full lips, high cheekbones and pale skin. Short, choppy hair the color of cinnamon framed a hear-shaped face.

Staring into the water, she began to relive the memory of when she first began to understand what her parents had done. When she began to understand what –and who- she really was…

xxxxx

“Claire! This way, honey!” Her mother’s voice resounded through the walls of the old church, echoing off the slick marble walls. Her parents and the other tourists followed the guide past the pews as he lead the tour through the Leon Cathedral. She’d fallen in love with the old Gothic-style church the instant she saw it, and now she lingered behind, captivated by the massive windows of glass that gave the church such majesty.

She was staring at one of the lower windows, looking the characters in the eye. They were beautiful, made from intricate bits of stained glass and metal. The peaceful looks on the faces frozen in time took her breath away.

Scanning the room for anyone watching, she reached out and traced the lines of Mary’s face, enthralled by the beauty of her peaceful expression. A loud crack echoed through the halls and she yanked her hand back in shock. Though she’d barely used any more force than a falling feather to touch the window, a long fissure had erupted in the glass Virgin’s face where her finger had made contact.

“What…” She hesitated, not wanting to draw attention by panicking. She peered closer at the crack. “What in the hell?”

“Claire, I told you to hurry. Didn’t you…” Her mother stopped dead. Claire looked up and saw that her eyes had found the crack as well, and were now about to burst from their sockets.

“Mom, I swear I didn’t mean to!” She bit her lip in fear, looking at her mother through worried eyes.

Her mother faltered for an instant, before grabbing her wrist and dragging her out of the church. Her father stopped and called after them, not following the other visitors deeper into the church. When they stood out in the blazing afternoon sunlight, her mother grabbed her shoulders and turned her sharply, staring at her.

“You listen to me. What happened in there is not your fault.” Her tone had dropped to a serious tone that made Claire swallow hard. “It is not your fault.”

“But mom, the window…”

“No.” Shaking her head, her mother reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “You are sixteen now. We brought you here because we wanted to give you time to explore the world before you lost that chance.”

“Lost what chance? What are you talking about?” Confusion seeped into her mind, spinning her thoughts in circles.

“Claire, your father and I have made some terrible, horrible mistakes in our lives. Some of them we wish we’d never made. But one of those mistakes gave us you, and we are so happy it did. Because we’ve had so many wonderful times with you. But that mistake has a price, Claire, and you only have two more years to enjoy your life before that price has to be paid.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “Wh-What mistake did you make? What did you do?”

“I can’t tell you, honey. But I’m so sorry for what you’ll have to go through.” She cupped her face in her calloused hands. “I’d give anything to take your place, but I can’t.” Her mother was crying, her face covered in streaks of black mascara.

She was crying, too. “But…what price do…you have to pay?” she asked between sobs.

Her mother’s mouth quivered. She dropped her head for a moment, then looked back up at her with pained eyes. “You.”

xxxxx

Things come full circle, don’t they? she thought sarcastically.

She reached out to touch the water, wanting desperately for it to fix everything. Her fingertip barely brushed the surface of the water, but it was enough to send a burning pain through her hand. She turned her hand over, examining the damage. Her finger was bright red, as if she’d touched a bare flame. She dropped her hands and sighed. Not even holy water would help.

She turned and walked slowly past the endless rows of carved wooden seats, finally settling into one in the middle of the right row. She smoothed her cream-colored skirt, crossing and uncrossing her ankles nervously. From here she could see the enormous cross, the sad face of the gaunt man pinned to it seeming to both glare at her and weep for her. She sighed and bowed her head. She felt as trapped as he did. She began to say her goodbyes, to tell each and every person that she loved them, that she would miss them. Tears threatened to break through, and she had to catch her breath to hold them back. Fear caused her breathing to become rapid, making her chest heave. She put a hand to her chest, feeling the soft red silk of the blouse under her fingers, trying to calm her heat. Fat chance of accomplishing that.

“Something I can help you with, child?” A silky voice, one that wrapped around her body and squeezed tight, snapped her out of her thoughts.

She looked up. A young priest was making his way down the rows of seat toward her. It seemed fitting that he should work in a church: The man had the face of an angel. Soft lips, high cheekbones and ivory skin made a good match for the locks of honey-blond hair that hung to his shoulders. Slim shoulders that complimented a tall, slender frame. She wondered if he’d simply charmed his way into priesthood or if his parents thought this would keep him safe from the throngs of girls that would surely chase after him.

His beauty stunned her, but it was his eyes that drew her attention. Light green in color, she could see sparks dancing in them. Sparks of the same hellfire that would come to claim her shortly.

She scoffed on the inside. Even churches weren’t off-limits for demons if they could find a way to hide. “Nothing, father. Just trying to calm myself down.”

His perfect brows raise an inch. “Oh? And what’s gotten you so worked up?”

She dropped her head again. “Nothing. Just a family issue.”

The father sat down in the pew in front of her, turning around so he could face her. “Come now, child. Don’t be afraid to speak. You can say anything here. You’re in the house of God.” The way he barely held back from snarling the last word made her suspicions clear. Pure, hell-born demon.

Wolves in sheep’s clothing. Clever little things. she though with a small smile.

“I appreciate everything you’re trying to do father, but it’s not something you can help.” She looked up at the cross, gazing at it but not really seeing it. “This has been going on for years. It’s just that the bad part is happening now.”

“Tell me what happened.” His voice took on a concerned tone, his eyes bored into hers. “If you like, I can take your confession.”

She shook her head. “No. It has nothing to do with sins.”

“Then tell me. I am a man of God. I am not here to judge you.”

I might as well. Demon or not, he’s going to change anything, she though sarcastically.

She nodded, still staring at the cross. “I was born in Clearwater, Florida. It’s about 40 miles east of Tampa. It’s in the Bible belt, so I was spent my summers with my grandparents in one of those staunchly Catholic homes where you can’t do anything unless the Bible says you can. My grandmother bashed God into my head every single day. I tried running away now and then, but someone from the church would find me and bring me back kicking and screaming every time.”

The priest folded his arms along the top edge of the pew and leaned on them, staring intently at her.

“My father was religious, too, just in a different way. He was a Satanist. He’d been that way since he was eighteen. I guess all of grandma’s God sermons finally drove him away. He met my mom at one of the initiation rituals. She wasn’t a hardcore believer, just curious. They got married a few years later. They both wanted to be parents, but mom couldn’t have kids. She’d been raped as a child and the scarring had messed up her body enough that her doctor said it would be too risky for her to try. So she and dad went to their religious leader -I don’t know what you call them for Satanists- and asked if there was anything they could do. He was the one who recommended they make the bargain.”

“A bargain?” The priest’s brows went up.

She nodded. “My parents dug up these old scrolls from an abandoned church and found one that told them how to summon demons. They tried it and, unfortunately, they got it right. Three demons answered their call, and made a deal with them: They would give my mother the ability to have one child, a girl, that they could raise for eighteen years. Once the daughter turned eighteen, they would come to collect her as payment for making the deal.” She dropped her head, tears welling in her eyes.

“And what does this have to do with you, Claire?”

“Because I’m the daughter they were allowed to have. Today’s my eighteenth birthday, which means the demons who made the deal with my parents are coming to collect me.” Crystals dropped from her eyes, a sharp contrast to her smile. “Do you demons know the name of every person who’s involved in these deals? Is there some kind of list of deal makers that you can all see?”

His eyes went wide with shock. “What makes you think…”

She scoffed. “I’ve been in here for five minutes and you magically guess my name?” She smiled at him. “That and your eyes. Demon eyes are hard to hide. Trust me, I’ve seen a few.”

Shock gave way to a humorous smile. “We’re allowed in on a few details.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“How long do you have?”

She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes returning to the cross. “As long as it takes for them to get here, I guess.” She wiped her nose and looked back at the priest. “Can I ask a favor?”

“Of course, child. What do you need?” He sat up, a concerned look on his beautiful face.

“You are one of them, right? A demon?” He gave her a knowing smile. “So you can talk to them?”

He nodded.

She chewed her lip. “When they come…Can I have a minute? Please?”

The priest smiled at her. “Of course. I’ll ask them to wait.”

She smiled. “Thank you.” She returned her stare to the floor as the priest got up from the pew.

She was lost in her thoughts -saying goodbye and recounting happy memories- when a sudden rush of icy wind snapped her awake. Too frightened to turn around, she kept her head down and tuned her ears to listen. She caught a whispered conversation between the priest and three visitors.

“Yes, she’s here. She’s told me all about you.” The priest’s voice echoed around the church, despite his hushed tone.

“Then let us have her.” Another voice, rough and angry, slipped into the air, sending a shiver down her spine.

“She requested a favor from me. Clearly your prize is a bit shaken up from this experience. Could you possibly allow her a few minutes to collect herself. She’s willing to go voluntarily. She just needs a little time.” The priest’s voice was so kind and soft, it was hard to imagine him as a demon.

“Very well. She has five minutes.” A third voice, this one smoother that the first, spoke.

Five minutes. Not much time, but enough to say final prayers and think final thoughts. She lost herself in memories of her childhood, of her parents and the people who loved her. She would miss them, so much. So much…

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. She looked up to see the priest’s face smiling at her. “Time to go, dear.”

Taking a shaky breath, she nodded and stood, taking a final look at the cross. Sighing one last time, she turned to see those who had followed her all this way.

The first had the body of a man, but the skin was a deep red, with twisting lines and swirls criss-crossing its flesh. Twisting horns the color of onyx grew from his forehead, matching black eyes that pieced her own. A long tail, thin and whip-like, snapped to-and-fro in anticipation. He smiled at her, a cruel and malicious smile that chilled her skin.

Next to him, the second had a body black as a starless night and stood half a foot taller than the first. Hornless, his eyes were the color of a twilight sky. The smile he gave her was less vicious, but filled with teeth as sharp as razors.

The last was even taller than the second and had skin as white as snow. Its horns twisted like the first, but were slimmer and longer. A length of thick, spiked chain was looped around its shoulder and waist. Eyes like slate glinted with excitement. The smile he gave her was a soft one, kind and soothing, making her feel more at ease.

Catching her breath, she took one step forward, her breath coming in harsh gasps. Fear choked her body and her feet refused to move any further, despite trying to force them forward. The third noticed her apprehension and stepped forward, stopping within a foot of her body. She stared up at it’s massive size. It stood well over a foot taller than her height, making her feel like a tiny insect under the gaze of a giant bird. She could feel a chill emanating off its skin, and she recognized it as the blast of cold air the whipped through the church earlier.

Still giving her a soft smile, the demon held out its enormous clawed hand. Swallowing the tears that threatened to break through again, she stretched out her own hand, trying desperately to stop the trembling in her fingers.

She placed her hand in its icy palm, watching as thick, sharp-tipped fingers closed into a fist. He held her tight, but used nowhere near enough force to break her bones.

She refused to make eye contact, looking past the demon’s colossal form to stare at the priest. He was smiling at her, his emerald eyes glinting in the sunlight. She smiled back, a nervous and strained smile.

“You are ready, then?” The demon’s voice, like warm silk covered in honey, slid into her ear and caressed her soul.

Still staring at the priest, she nodded. Giving her no warning, the monstrous demon bent down and scooped her up, cradling her in its arms as it turned and walked toward its companions. She leaned her head back against its thick forearm, watching the support beams of the church pass by.

“You are a strange one.” The white demon whispered in her ear as they neared the others. “Most fight and scream for mercy.”

“What would I gain if I tried? You’d find me no matter where I ran.” She continued to stare at the thick wooden beams, imagining that each one passing by was a moment from her life flashing before her eyes.

“True. But I appreciate your compliance. It makes things so much easier on all of us.”

They reached the other two demons, who now turned to join as they made their way to the doors. They walked three abreast, the white demon in the middle carrying her, flanked but the red and black.

“You’ve been so easy, I’m inclined to reward you. Tell me, Claire. What would you like as your reward?”

A soft smile played on her lips. “To be happy. I’ve never really been happy. I’ve had love and friends, but I’ve always felt empty inside. Like something was missing, but I could never figure out what it was.” She closed her eyes. “That’s what I want. To be happy.”

The red one barked out a sharp laugh. “Fear not, child. We will make you happy. Very happy, indeed.”

“Yes. There will be so many things to show you that will please you,” the black one added with a grin. “We will make you so happy you will never want to leave us.”

She gave a small laugh. She hoped so.

They walked through the doors of the church, into the blinding sunlight, unseen by any and all mortals who had yet to make similar bargains. And as they carried her to fates and destinations yet unknown, her heart lifted. Wherever they took her, whatever they showed her, it would make her complete. She smiled knowing she would be happy.

THE END