The Demon Among Us

For those of you used to my more wholesome offerings, this one's going to be a little...different. It's a straight up horror story with MC elements. Hope you enjoy!

All characters are over eighteen years of age.

***

You're probably wondering how this all happened.

I want you to know that all of this, everything that has happened and is happening right now- to me, my family, our friends, to you- it all started a little over a month ago.

That's when he moved in next door.

You've seen our street, of course. Heaven knows I've had you over at my place plenty enough times. What I like to think about now is how wholesome it all is. A cute suburban road, all wooded trees and big houses and nice, trimmed lawns. Safe and polite and affluent.

The moving vans came in the morning. I remember wondering who would be moving in next to us, into the big double-story that Mrs. Mavis had left abandoned for the last six months. Mum bet on a nice married couple. Denise- who, despite being a senior in high school, still acted like a bratty teenage girl- aspired for cute guys. I pretended to agree.

What I actually

wanted

wasn't something I was prepared to talk about with them. Or you, for that matter.

God- the time before he came feels like a dream. Happy and innocent and now so

unreal

. Mum, Denise, Aunt Sienna, Kylie- back then, I thought... It's funny, but after my dad died and Sienna's husband left her, I kind of got used to the idea of it being just us girls. Laughing and arguing and fighting and loving and helping each other.

I thought we were a family.

Now I know we were just

prey

. Unattended baubles waiting for someone to come along and claim us.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?

We didn't see him the first day. Oh, we might have glimpsed him with the moving people, or saw the lights on at night, movement inside; but nothing more.

That was the last time that we could have escaped.

It was the morning of the next day- a beautiful and clear Saturday morning, with just the right chill in the air- when we saw him. We were coming home from a trip to the mall and he caught us coming out of the car. Introduced himself as Trevor, our new neighbour.

I hated him from the first.

No, scratch that. He

scared

me from the first.

Oh, he was so handsome. Even a hard end on the Kinsey scale girl like me could tell. Tall and powerful and well dressed, clearly successful. A little older than Mum, although talking to him made you think he was younger. Voice deep and rich and damn near hypnotic to listen to.

But it was that

look.

Cold and cruel and searching and

hungry

in a way that made me think of wolves and rabbits, for all his warm words and welcoming posture. Sizing us up for...well.

We left after exchanging the usual pleasantries, with an invitation for dinner the next night. Mum was blushing up a storm; a sexy older bachelor, living right next door? She probably fantasised about this sort of thing. And Denise...

Five minutes after they'd met, Denise was already asking if he was willing to babysit her when Mum and I were out. Babysit an eighteen-year old girl. Seriously.

Me, I stayed quiet. I was annoyed, angry...but mostly, in a way I couldn't define, I was scared.

It turns out I wasn't scared enough.

***

Sunday morning came and went. We met up to share our woes over drinks; you'd gone out the previous night to some bar, a total meat market on the shitty part of town. I hated going to those things, hated pretending to have to flirt with guys just to spend time with you. I usually went anyway but I'd been feeling like crap that night. Pretty soon Sunday afternoon rolled around.

And Mum and Denise...they started to get

weird.

They spend the afternoon and evening talking about him. Who he was, where he came from, what he did. Was he divorced? A widower? Single all this time? They couldn't believe the last one. The talk got ruder, the more the evening went on, and I avoided them.

Come evening, they got ready. I have got to tell you, it was a fucking

production

. Dresses and makeup and jewellery, all discussed and debated and agonised over, like they were kids on their first dates.

I kept out of it. I'd called you and we'd talked; you had your own thing going on that night with your parents to sort out. I was a bit crushed, I got to say; I wanted to use you as an excuse to get out of dinner.

(Plus other reasons).

Mum sensed I wasn't getting into the 'kids right before Christmas' atmosphere and she came in and talked to me. You know Mum. Well- you knew her, anyway. What she was like. Patient and sweet even when I was rude and moody and lashing out at her for shit that wasn't her fault, which was way too often, in retrospect.

She talked about changes, and how lonely she was, and how it would be nice if I gave things- and new people- a chance. About being a good neighbour.

I miss who she was.

We headed over as dusk was settling in.

I got to tell you, they looked

great

. We all inherited Mum's olive skin, her curly hair, her generous figure. She and Denise looked amazing, classy and sexy all at once. Me? Black T-shirt, jeans and a short haircut. Amazing no-one ever figured it out.

Dinner was...it was pretty nice, actually. Some pasta dish, salad. Simple but tasty. There was wine. We all made introductions and talked.

Well. Not quite. What happened was he asked, and Mum and Denise answered. Smiling, staring at him, leaning forward with their low-cut dresses. Straining for his attention. He asked us all sorts of questions- how long had we lived here? What did we think of the neighbourhood? Where did we work? Study?

How old were we?

Were any of us seeing anyone?

Mum and Denise, they

competed

with each other to answer. I sat back and watched and occasionally, chimed in when I was singled out.

I eventually interrupted them to ask him, what about you? Where did you come from, Trevor? How do you make your money?

Why are you here

?

His eyes flickered to me; took in my clothes, my folded arms, by cold stare. They lingered briefly on my breasts.

Then made an amused sound at the back of his throat and went back to asking Mum and Denise questions.

Dinner and dessert came and went, the wine glasses emptied and refilled. No-one made the slightest move to leave, as the talk became more and more intimate, the questions more and more personal, the flirting more and more obvious. Mum and Denise gave up old boyfriends and wild stories and hints of personal fantasies to a man they met yesterday.

Eventually, I asked outright. "Isn't it time to go?"

Three eyes turned to me. Mum looked surprised to remember I was even there. Denise glared at me, like I'd burst into her bedroom during an intimate moment. And Trevor...

That look again, amused contempt and arrogance and smouldering hunger that set my teeth on edge, and beneath it...

Beneath it all something in his eyes

stirred

.

And then, invisible, intangible, it darted across the distance between us to

lash

at me.

I gasped and sat back against the chair. My heart raced with shock, horror...

And beneath it, a rising heat, shockingly swift and strong and powerful, that welled up between my legs.

While I watched, stunned and uncomprehending, he stood up. A massive lump pressed against the front of his trousers He spoke like a judge delivering a carefully thought out verdict. "Jamie's right."

Shocked looks from Mum and Denise. But then he paused, lips pursed, and looked back and forth between them. The busty, olive-skinned mother and her sexy high school daughter.

Then he reached down and grasped Mum's jaw. Holding her by the chin, he raised her head up to stare into her eyes.

"Stay."

Not a question. Not a request. A command, like you might give to a dog.

He released her and turned to Denise and I without waiting for a response. "You can go."

Denise rose and I swear it was like she had tears in her eyes. She practically ran out the door.

I rose and followed in her wake.

***

Mum didn't come home that night.

Denise ran to bed. I heard muffled moans from her room at one point.

I couldn't sleep, anxiety and impotent rage and lust- unwelcome, unneeded, achingly, painfully unfulfilled lust- leaving me twisting in my bedsheets. Near 2am I gave up and shamefully tended to myself, trying to think of you and not that smug, arrogant monster who was no doubt fucking my mother right at that very moment.

I mostly succeeded.

Morning came. Work- and the minutia of life- took over. I got a text from Mum around noon, saying that she'd taken the day off work and would be home by the time I was done.

I met with you after work, talking about our friends and our worries and all of the normal shit that used to be my life. You asked about our new neighbour; I told you about what happened.

You were speechless for a while, and then murmured, "Wow. Guy sounds smooth as fuck."

"There was something wrong with him," I said. "I swear-"

"What?"

"The way he looked at me." For a moment the cafeteria and your presence, soft and calm and sure, went away; and I was back in his house, pinned under his lashing gaze with lust filling me like sweet venom. "I don't think..."

"You don't think?"

"I don't think he's human."

You stared at me for a few long moments.

Then you burst into laughter. "Jamie, it's sweet your so protective. But, like, you mum is a woman too, you know? She's got

needs

."

I spent another five minutes trying to make you understand before giving up. But you managed to calm me down; stop my worrying. Trevor was an asshole, definitely; and a sleaze, for the way he flirted with my Mum and my younger sister both at the same time. But he wasn't a monster.

That's what I thought, at any rate, until I came home that night.

***

I'd convinced you to go out for dinner; just the two of us. Laughter and stories, thrown fries and the sort of needling jokes that only best friends could get away with. Two underachievers fresh out of high school, with a meagre future in front of them but each other in the present.

So I came home a little later than usual with a quick message to Mum not to bother with dinner.

They were in the kitchen when I walked through the door.

He was pressed against Mum's back, his muscled frame sandwiching her against the counter. Hand on her neck, bending it at what must have been a painful angle. His own head lowered, handsome face contorted into a demonic visage.

Murmuring into her ear, soft whispers.

Mum...she shuddered. Trembled and shook like a rabbit in a trap. Her eyes were closed, her mouth slack, like she was asleep. Her breaths came out in quick, desperate pants.

I couldn't barely hear him, just a handful of words, repeated over and over-

Obey.

Pleasure.

Slave.

I screamed.

He snarled like a beast while Mum's eyes snapped open; then she screamed as well, twisting in his grip. He released her and rounded on me.

His eyes were dark, murderous, terrifying, and something within prepared to-

I fled, not daring to look at him. Fled to my room and locked the door and screamed some more.

***

It was some time later before Mum knocked on my door. "Jamie?"

"Mum?" My voice felt raspy. "Is he gone?"

"Yes. Can I come in?"

I opened the door a crack and peered out.

Mum looked back, her face a picture of worry. "Please let me in?"

I eased open the door. She sat down. "How are you?"

"Okay." I

wasn't

okay, but it was a starting point. "He's gone, right?"

"Yes. Honey, what

happened

?"

"What...what happened?" I spluttered. "He was...doing something to you. Mum, he didn't look

human

."

"Baby..." Mum smiled the sweet smile of someone entertaining a child's whimsy. "Whatever you think you saw-"

"Think I saw?"

"Whatever you think you saw, I'm fond of Trevor. And he's fond of me."

"Mum, he's dangerous! He's a predator-"

I felt her hands grip my shoulders. Her smile vanished. Her eyes, dark and deep, bore into me.

"And what," she said, "make you think I don't

want

to be his prey?"

She rose and walked out of the room.

Fifteen minutes later I heard him come through the front door, heard him talk and her laugh.

Five minutes later her bed creaked and her moans echoed through the house.

I didn't gather the courage to leave my bedroom until morning, after another long and sleepless night.

What I didn't understand was that this was only the start.

***

He was there in the morning.

Stretched out atop the lounge room couch. Shirtless but not entirely naked, thank heavens- he wore a pair of thin drawstring trousers. He had a cup of coffee in his hand. I did my best not to look at him too closely. He looked at me and smiled the smile of a happy, full predator.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Well," he said. "You mother. For a start." He took a sip of his coffee. "You're a strange one."

"I want you gone." I said.

"I know," he chuckled, "and that's what so strange about you. Don't worry--I promise I won't hold it against you."

I sputtered. "Hold it against me?"

He sighed and leaned forward. "You're the only person who wants me to leave. You're mother certainly doesn't. And your sister..."

"Stay away from her."

"Hmm." The grin deepened, if anything. "No. No, I think we're all going to become good friends."

I left to the sounds of his laughter.

***

"He sounds dangerous."

Aunty Sienna was pretty much precisely the person that I wanted to be growing up.

Tough, strong, fearless. The only person I told I was gay. The only person I told about the way I felt about you- yourself included. She had raised Kylie pretty much on her own- pretty, smart, funny cousin Kylie, who I had a little bit of a crush on when I was growing up (I hadn't told her about that). So she was the obvious choice for me to go to. It didn't hurt that she was a cop, too. Looked the part- tall and stern and yes, kind of hot in her uniform. Like I said, the person I wanted to be when I was older.

I'd come into the station house and sought her out. Met up for an early lunch and poured my heart out. She wasn't like you. She didn't dismiss me. She listened and asked questions and when we were done, she summed it up nicely.

"Whatever this guy is, even if he's not a monster- well, sweetie, he trips all the red flags. It sounds like your mum got involved with someone ugly." She sighed. "Mia never had any good taste in men-"

(I was used to her occasional digs at Dad. It's not like he didn't deserve it, not after he ran off with The Slut.)

"-so I'd better have a word with my sister."

"I don't-" I paused.

"What?"

"I don't want you to go near him."

She scoffed at that but promised that cops had lots of interesting ways to make people's lives difficult without directly confronting them. I left the lunch feeling a little better.

***

I remember you were upset about something at work. I suggested that we should go out for the night- just the two of us, like all times. You begged off- something about not feeling well?- but I leaned pretty hard on you and you agreed in the end. Truth be told I was low-key terrified of going back home to find Trevor there.

So we went out that night. Drove out into the hills and just...talked. About Mum's new boyfriend and my idiot sister and life in this boring, ugly little town in general. And then, do you remember? You said...

"We could just leave."

I looked at you, with your blonde hair, your pale skin, and I wondered if you knew. If you knew how badly I'd fantasied about leaving with you. And you talked about opportunities in other cities, making friends in other cities; about getting away this life.

I wasn't alone. I wasn't miserable, until Trevor showed up. I didn't have the same urge to leave like you did. But the idea of leaving everything behind, travelling the country with you...

Well. Like I said I had fantasies.

I have new fantasies now.

***

We drove home. You talked but my head was full of the idea of leaving. I forgot about Mum and Denise. I forgot about Aunty Sienna. I forgot about Trevor.

Poor,

stupid

me.

I went into the dark house. Paused to check my phone- there was a missed call from Aunty Sienna but no message. I went to the fridge to fetch a glass of orange juice.

I shut the fridge door and he was there.

I shrieked and stumbled back. He just laughed again. "The cold one."

"Fuck you!"

"Why were you out so late?"

"Fuck you!" I repeated. "Why do you care?"

His smile wavered and he stepped forward, into my space. I stumbled back and he spoke, low and quiet and with cold, clear menace oozing out of every word.

"Tell me."

I looked into his eyes.

I saw something coiled inside them, slithering like a serpent in a cave. I saw it stir.

I couldn't help it. I murmured like a frightened little girl, "I was with a friend."

"What's her name?"

I wavered, thinking of all the things he could do to you, but he shifted- just the slightest movement- and it broke my resolve. I told him your name.

"Tell me," he said, "about this friend of yours."

I wanted so badly not to say anything. So badly not to speak, so badly not to let him know you existed. But the coiling, writhing thing in his eyes seemed to draw me in, swallow me up; and I felt my jaw open, my throat work, and then-

-Lights. A car pulled up in the drive.

I fled, up the stairs and into my room. Shut the door, locked it. I realised I'd dropped my phone when I ran. I needed to call Aunt Sierra. I needed to call the police. I needed to call you.

I heard noises downstairs. Talking.

Should I wait? No. I could use the distraction to get the phone and get out of the house. Besides...

I needed to know who it was.

I opened the door. I peeked out. He was downstairs. I crept out to the top of the stairs and peered down.

It was Denise.

The two of them were whispering, as close as lovers. He said my name in a questioning tone. And my sister- my stupid younger sister, a senior in high school but with the attitude of a rebellious thirteen year old- giggled and touched his arm, eyes bright.

That seemed to have been some sign for him, because his own broad, strong hands moved. One gripped her arm, his fingers curling around her biceps. The other reached up and, with exaggerated slowness, undid the top button on her blouse. Her eyes widened and she gasped...

...but she didn't move away, didn't slap him. Didn't do anything more as he began to undo the next button down. Slowly, with a wicked smile on his face, he began to remove them all.

Denise's eyes flickered to his hands, to his face, to around the room...

And settled on me, covering by the banister.

She stared at me for a moment and then a slow, contemptuous smile spread over her face. She whispered something to him, low and throaty, as he finished the last of the buttons. He gently eased aside her shirt to expose her bare breasts and caressed them.

Denise groaned, rolling her back as he groped and pinched at her curves, her nipples. One hand continued to maul her chest while the other took hold of her chin and eased her forward into a kiss.

I watched- heart thudding in my chest- while he devoured her lips, pressing her body against his. She groaned again, the sound muffled beneath her lips.

He broke away, his hand back to her shoulder, and leant in to murmur into her ear. Soft words, gentle words, just out of the edge of her hearing; but her eyes fluttered and her breath came out in quick, rasping motions.

Then he stepped away from her. Reaching across, he grabbed her by the back of the neck- like you would a pet. He half led her, half dragged her towards her room while she stumbled happily along.