An American Love Story by C. S. Moore Page B

angry. He wasn’t quite ready to leave. Amanda took comfort in the fact that Kaedin didn’t require much. She was such a resilient spirit all she needed was to have someone who wanted to help her. Someone who believed her, and now she had it. Frank beat at the door with more ferocity, and Amanda squirmed. It was getting harder and harder for her to hold him back.
    â€œPeople love me!” Kaedin cried.
    With every shout, Amanda could feel the little spirit healing. Soon she would be free. Amanda sensed the dark energy pulling before she saw it and drew up her strength. She’d need it.
    â€œFind someone else to feed off of, scumbag,” Amanda said.
    At her words, all of the shadows left their hiding places. Dark grey wisps crept out of corners, and seeped up out of the floorboards. Even Amanda and Kaedin’s own silhouettes abandoned them, turning to tar and bonding into a mass of darkness. The small room was unnaturally bright. All of the shading was gone from their natural spaces and standing in a heaving blob before them. At that moment, Amanda was glad for Kaedin’s blindness.
    â€œI wasn’t yours to take!” she shouted.
    The blackness moved in a rush, squeezing under the shabby door and into Frank. The demon had found a place to gather strength. Still holding Kaedin’s hand, Amanda dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing. She searched inside herself, looking for more power. She shut off everything in her body that was expending energy and focused it on to the door. Everything she had in her small frame held the beast back. If Kaedin felt frightened, it would be nearly impossible to free her.
    It beat at the door with more fervor than Frank had. Amanda’s confidence shattered as she realized it was stronger than her. A sound ripped out like the call of thunder as the door disintegrated into a shower of splinters. Kaedin began screaming, not in power, but in fear. Amanda lay beside her, blind and deaf to the scene around them. Frank’s body, bulging and discolored by the demon within, began its disjointed journey across the room.
    â€œAmanda, wake up! Amanda, please, use your magic,” Kaedin pleaded.
    The power of the demon was too great for her, and it took all she had just to keep conscious. Amanda could feel the darkness pressing down on her, urging her to return to where she belonged. The temptation was usually too much for her. The sweet promises of her frightened subconscious made it so easy to give up, without even realizing she had.
    No, not this time! Kaedin can’t possibly wait any longer. Who knows when this Scar will find another Healer? The demon has so much of her life already.
    The creature was upon them, wearing an inhuman smile that stretch Frank’s face into a grizzly mask of terror. He opened his mouth wide, and Frank’s skin, stretched too tightly, split open. Tissue dangling, the monster began raining torrents of blood onto the floor. Amanda could feel the delight the creature took in the gruesome scene. It stepped closer to them, becoming larger and more grotesque. Yet, Kaedin remained kneeling by Amanda’s side. She could sense the spirit’s fear and heard Kaedin’s whispered prayer. Amanda’s heart swelled with love as she found both the fear and the prayer were for her. The demon paused in its approach, sensing the change in Amanda. She took advantage of the demon’s hesitance and sprang to her feet, throwing Kaedin behind her.
    â€œDon’t be afraid, it can’t hurt you. You are strong!”
    Kaedin took a step forward, brow knitting together in determination. “I am strong!” she shouted.
    Amanda felt that strength and threw up a protective shield between them and the demon. The dark creature attempted to move forward but was unable to get a step closer. It pushed against the invisible obstacle several times but couldn’t weaken the blockade. Frank wilted to the floor, the dark mass