Caught in the Devils' Hand Read online

  “Something strange happened the other day. I think I did it…” she began, her story coming out slowly as she tried to express how she had felt in actual words. The witch’s face revealed little the entire time, though her eyes did widen when she came to the part about shoving Akiji. After she fell silent, Majo looked toward the fire near them, her eyes seeing something else. She was quiet for a few painful heartbeats but finally spoke, her voice soft but clear.

  “I knew you had it. I could sometimes feel it inside you, but it was so deeply asleep. What you have is intrinsic magic, my dear. Those with black hair have the potential to contain it. Not every black-haired person is so blessed though. Even out of those few among the human race with hair the color of the night, only a handful of black-haired people carry the warm weight of magic inside.”

  “W-wait…are you saying that I’m a magic-user?” she asked, her mind reeling. She braced her hand on the sleeping mat beneath her to keep from swaying in shock. She had thought that perhaps what had happened was a side effect of Vallen’s magic when he cast the Binding upon her, but apparently it wasn’t.

  “One of the few, dear. Your power rivals my own, in fact.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about all of this before?”

  “I couldn’t feel it this strongly before, so I couldn’t be sure. Only a small number of events trigger one’s magic to awaken—another magic-user or demon casting a spell on you—a serious illness—a traumatic experience—and lastly, sex. I suspect that the loss of your mother was the trigger in your case,” Majo guessed.

  Shumei rather suspected that other factors had also helped. Not only had Vallen made love to her on a couple of occasions, but he had also cast the Binding upon her, and though she hadn’t experienced any symptoms of the village’s epidemic, there were those strange morning symptoms she had felt earlier in the week.

  Her mind began to quickly produce and string together dozens of questions, the most haunting of which was whether or not the village would execute her should they ever discover her ability.

  “How do I keep it from coming out?” she asked tremulously, looking beseechingly at the witch. She was definitely scared. Choosing to be a magic-user and getting yourself hung or burned at the stake was one thing, but being one by birth and not knowing how to hide it was another.

  “For someone like you with no experience, the only way you can control it is by controlling your emotions. You’re actually rather good at that, which is a fortunate thing. Akiji’s…eagerness caught you unprepared though, and you had no other recourse.” Though she had meant them to be comforting, Majo’s words didn’t make her feel any better. She didn’t have much confidence in her ability to mask her feelings anymore. The village leaders, Majo, Akiji and Vallen had all proven quite capable of bringing out her extreme emotions.

  “Why? Why do I have this?” she vehemently whispered, her hands fisting as they rested on her thighs. “Does this mean that blackies truly are the worst of the lot? The most evil?” she whispered, her real fear peeking out from behind the worried look she couldn’t keep from her face.

  “Only some black-haired people, especially women, have intrinsic magic, but brownies and blondies try and sometimes very successfully learn acquired magic. It can be just as strong or stronger than intrinsic magic, depending on the user’s determination, and Shumei…” she said, leaning toward her, though this time it wasn’t a ploy to show off her breasts. “Don’t believe for a second that you are evil. Magic is not evil, nor is it good. It is neutral. I don’t know why black-haired people can have it intrinsically, but I know it’s not a mark of evil.”

  “But demons can use magic,” she said, thinking of Vallen and the Binding. The witch leaned back again, her mouth a bit stiff. She resisted the urge to slap her hand over her mouth, or to even react at all. It seemed that she had revealed too much.

  “How did you know that?” A sinking feeling settled in her stomach, and she gathered every ounce of control she had to make her face look as guileless as possible.

  “Is it not common knowledge? I heard it from my mother after…the incident, and besides, I heard you say earlier that a demon’s spell could trigger one’s magic,” she finished, glad she could find a few truths to back up her flub. She had known before meeting Vallen that demons could use magic. Though the memories were vague, she knew that something bad had happened to her—almost happened to her—when she was quite young. She managed to return home safely, only to receive a long lecture from her mother on the dangers of demons, one of which included being cursed or enchanted.

  Everyone in the village had found out about her nearly fatal trip into the forest. It was common knowledge that the local blackie had almost been taken by the demons, and many had cruelly accused her of trying to escape with them as if in cahoots with the monsters.

  “Ah yes. I suppose your mother might have known. One learns a lot of things as one ages.”

  “What do you know of demons, Madam Majo? Are they all evil, mindless creatures?” she asked, now very interested since it seemed the witch’s knowledge of such things spanned much more than just magic. For the first time in five minutes, the witch smiled and it was the kind of smile you might see on a cat eyeing a bird.

  “Ah, now for answers to those kinds of questions, you’ll have to pay a price in return,” she purred, leaning forward yet again with one hand on the wooden floor. The fire snapped to the side, and a log fell into the base of the flames.

  It made Shumei jump.

  “What kind of price?” she asked slowly, thirsty for more knowledge about demons and yet not wanting to give up anything in return for that knowledge. She had little money as it was. The witch’s eyes slowly traveled down, looking her over like she was a piece of meat.

  “First, a kiss. I shall tell you basic facts about demons,” she offered. Shumei’s jaw nearly dropped, and she almost stood up to back away. She was instantly embarrassed to be propositioned in such a way by another female, and furthermore, Vallen had said kisses were off-limits, making Majo’s offer a fast method of breaking her end of the deal.

  Although he had only been referring to men…not women.

  “A k-kiss? But…I’m a girl,” she said.

  “It does not matter to me. In fact, I want a kiss even more because you are a girl,” the witch confessed, not coming any closer but not leaning away.

  “Then…do you not like men?”

  “Not as much as women. However, I appreciate pleasure above all things, no matter one’s gender. Your lips look…very pleasurable,” she murmured. Shumei couldn’t help the blush of discomfort that raced up her face and found that she couldn’t keep eye contact with the witch.

  Something uncurled inside of her, as if turning over in its sleep.

  “Calm down, child. You are letting your emotions run too high, and your magic is starting to leak. It’s only a kiss, dear,” she sighed, sounding impatient as she sat up straight again.

  “Is that what I’m feeling? My magic is…leaking?” she hesitantly asked.

  “Yes. It sometimes moves on its own, and you’ll have to learn to put it back to sleep, a basic skill that you can master quickly.”

  “Then…if I kiss you, will you tell me basic things about demons and how to put my magic to sleep?” She looked up at Majo, who was sitting quite properly on her cushion despite the deep gap in her robe that showed off her assets. The woman smiled slowly, as if she had deciphered the winning move in a game of strategy.

  “I’ll even let you ask one extra question about demons if it is specific enough,” she said, her hands now slowly stroking the rosebush pattern on her skirt.

  “It’s a deal then,” Shumei said with more bravado than she felt.

  She was making a lot of deals lately.

  She watched as the witch rose up to her knees, sliding her hands forward onto the wooden floor like a cat rising from a nap. She slowly and carefully crawled toward Shumei, whose heart was pounding inside her head almost loudly enou
gh for the witch to hear.

  “I won’t hurt you, dear,” the older woman said softly, now close enough to smell her perfume. Her long hair flowed quietly over Shumei’s hands, which sat in her lap, and her mouth came within a few inches of her own.

  She stiffened as the witch slid one arm behind her, pulling her closer. Majo’s other hand held her weight, pressing into the sleeping mat next to her thigh.

  “Close your eyes…”

  Kiss me. Let your eyelids close when our lips meet…

  She remembered Vallen’s words and suddenly knew what to do. Though she couldn’t force herself to meet the witch’s lips, she tilted her head slightly to better match Majo and let her eyes close as the woman’s full lips pressed against hers.

  Her mouth was almost immediately filled with the witch’s tongue, warm and wet, but it was more disturbing than the thrilling feeling she had had when Vallen kissed her. Majo tightened the hold of her arm, pulling Shumei against her soft chest as she slowly and gently slid her tongue in and out of her mouth.

  Shumei couldn’t help but compare the witch’s kiss with the demon’s and found that the rougher, more demanding kisses from Vallen were the kind she liked. Although her preference could lie in the fact that Vallen was at least male. With Majo, all she felt was embarrassment and some discomfort.

  She realized her hands still sat in her lap, a bit tense with nervousness but lying there all the same, and remembered how her hands had eagerly gripped Vallen’s shoulders as they ground against each other in the river only a few days ago. The memory sparked a bit of longing within her, and she guiltily wished that the one bargaining for her kiss wasn’t the witch, but someone else entirely.

  She shouldn’t be longing for the demon’s attentions…

  Eventually, the witch withdrew, sucking on Shumei’s lower lip in parting before releasing it and leaning back slightly, a satisfied look on her face. Shumei couldn’t say the same though. She only wanted another kiss, but from the one who knew how to kiss her.

  “If only you were interested in women, dear Shumei. What pleasure we could have in the privacy of my hut,” she said, leaning in again to steal another kiss before sitting back on her heels. Shumei was tempted to wipe at her mouth but resisted the urge. “Your reaction tells me that you felt nothing but a burning embarrassment, but I wonder if I could coax a few whimpers of longing if I were to seek out the treasures you hide under that pretty new dress.”

  A new blush rose on her cheeks, now knowing exactly what the witch was probably referring to.

  “Please, Madam Majo. I willingly gave you the kiss. I am most eager to learn about demons and their properties,” she said, trying to distract herself and not realizing that she talked of demons as if they were medicinal plants. “What I know of them is very little and most likely contains some exaggeration.”

  “Then let us not waste daylight, dear,” the witch purred. “Listen carefully…”

  The witch was rather clear and succinct as she outlined the origins and motives of demons. Most of the information Shumei already knew from eavesdropping near the elder members of the village, who loved to flap their mouths about the Damned One and his minions.

  What she didn’t know was interesting and frightening at the same time. She hadn’t realized how much danger lurked outside the barrier charms, and knew she would have nightmares that night. According to the witch, demons only felt basic needs and none of them were healthy needs. The Damned One sent out these creatures with only one purpose in mind—to kill any human it could find, making the death as painful and as violating as possible.

  Majo wouldn’t give her details on any specific types of demons, and she wondered with a great deal of trepidation what kind of price she would have to pay for that information.

  Next came a brief but very detailed explanation of controlling one’s magic. It took a bit of concentration, but it was no different from using a muscle, like closing one’s fist or swallowing. She didn’t have an immediate chance to practice but was at least more confident about being able to stop herself if she lost control again.

  “It couldn’t be simpler, dear. The only thing easier is breathing,” she lightly joked. She then stretched slightly, her head rolling slowly in a circle. “Now if you would like to ask your extra question, I can answer it and retire for the night. Sunset is coming very soon,” the witch said, feigning a yawn. Shumei looked down at the floor, considering carefully which question she would choose to ask.

  Truthfully, she worried most about the soul-eaters, demons that consumed the souls of evildoers. Despite her status with the Divine One’s priests, she sincerely believed in the Golden One. If she died by natural causes, she knew that her soul would be accepted into the Divine One’s warm hands, but a soul-eater…should one of those ever catch her alone and unarmed, her soul would be consigned to Oblivion. A soul-eater didn’t send the souls it caught to the Damned One. It consumed souls like nourishment and slowly digested them until they were completely absorbed.

  However, her current problem was not with a soul-eater, and she knew that her other question would have to wait until some other time.

  “Then…tell me about s-sex demons,” she said, frustrated when her words didn’t come out smoothly. The older woman looked at her curiously, as if she hadn’t expected that question.

  “Sex demons…why would you ask about them?” she said with a bit of a pout to her tone.

  “I’ve heard other girls talking about them…” Shumei supplied, knowing the reason was weak. The witch stared at her for a few seconds, but her mask was in place, and the older woman could find nothing in her face to give her away.

  “Well, that type certainly is an interesting lot. If it weren’t for the fact that they kidnap their prey and exhaust them to the point of death, I wouldn’t mind meeting one someday,” she laughed, the sound of it raising hairs on the back of her neck.

  “Why are they interesting, Madam Majo?”

  “Most demons are the creations of the Damned One, but a precious few types are…shall we say, born from another source? The spell to make sex demons is extremely complicated and unknown by most magic-users. I do know this though…the basic ingredient is the seed of a male specimen, and using it, you can curse that male to become a sex demon, bound to his sexuality for all time. A human becomes a demon. Quite cruel indeed,” she clucked, crossing her arms and drumming her fingers.

  Shumei had to use all of her concentration not to gasp in shock or show much more of a reaction than a surprised raise of her eyebrows.

  Vallen was once human.

  “So sex demons used to be human… Men become immortal? Invulnerable?” she asked, her voice thin but otherwise calm. Majo didn’t seem to notice.

  “The curse gives men the status of a demon but forces them to either fulfill their role or die. If a sex demon does not consume the energy of a woman by the end of a full moon’s passing, the human soul is doomed to spend eternity in Oblivion, but in exchange, he has certain unearthly abilities, though I do not know what they are or how long they last. Sex demons weaken the longer they go without sexual energy.”

  She nodded slowly, feeling a great swell of pity. No matter her lot in life, she was at least still human, but Vallen…

  “Dear Shumei, you look so lost in thought. I fear that I confused you more than enlightened you, but if you wish to ask more questions, I’ll be glad to answer all of them should you decide to…stay the night,” the witch said, a slow smile curving her lips.

  Shumei quickly shook her head, coming to a stand.

  “Thank you for your kindness and wisdom in helping me this evening. I shall leave you to your rest, Madam Majo,” she muttered, wishing to return home before Oka began to worry. The sun would be setting very soon.

  “You’re welcome, dear child. Feel free to ask more questions in the future.” Majo was still seated, her arms crossed since she hadn’t moved at all. Walking to the door, Shumei pulled on her boots, feeling an awkward silence settli
ng over her shoulders as the older woman watched her from her cushion. She reached for the handle of the door, but a thought made her pause.

  “Madam Majo…why do you stay in this village?” she asked quietly, her steady gaze landing on the witch. The woman smiled.

  “Unfinished business,” she answered, her reply just as vague as she had intended it. Shumei nodded and left, not wanting to press any further and shivering as the door closed behind her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dawn pressed close, not yet over the horizon, but the sky’s coloring and the birds’ incessant chirping were the only clues necessary to know that she would soon see him again. All day yesterday, her mind overflowed with thoughts about him and it had left her tense and irritable all day. The night had crept along incredibly slowly and it was only because of her brother’s sleeping presence that she hadn’t screamed in impatience.

  Her control certainly had been stripped from her in the past eight days.

  When dawn did arrive, and the fact that it eventually would was her only comfort, she told herself that she would sprint to the meeting place and demand two things of the damnable demon.

  First, she wanted his answer as to why he didn’t tell her that her mother had died, why he hadn’t warned her that her brother was sleeping only a short distance away from the cooling corpse of his beloved mother.

  Second, she wanted him on top of her, inside of her, rubbing and sweating against her as they kissed and moaned until they reached that vision-blurring, spine-stiffening climax that she had been aching for since seven days ago.

  She had already told Oka that she would be gone the entire morning for the exchange with the demon. He still didn’t know about what exactly she traded and she hoped he didn’t find out for a long time, if at all. He had instructions to sleep in, clean up and prepare the seeds of which he had knowledge for planting that afternoon.

  Sitting awake at his side, she looked at the edge of the reed door again and confirmed that the sun had finally risen above the horizon. Leaning down, she kissed Oka’s cheek, making him frown slightly in his sleep as if he would wipe it away. She stood up, made short work of putting on her boots and slipped through the reed door, letting it slowly fall back into place.