Page 147 of Devil Inside

The living room is teeming with demons. Look at them all. An effervescent nest. The slickened twine of limbs. A phosphorescent knot. Far too many to count, all clustered together, roiling over top each other in a wet struggle to find a warm place to settle. Entities desperate for a vessel. Slithering about the room. In the corners. Along the ceiling.

Everywhere.

I see them now. I’m one of many,legion, all of us clamoring for Jordan. He called us all here. Doesn’t he see that? Can’t he understand what he’s done? How powerful he is?

He is a doorway. A floodgate. A gorgeous chasm.

They all want in. Of course they do. Who wouldn’t? A catch like that?

We all draw near. Limbs pressed against one another. Crawling over top of each other. Drooling. Slathering at the adorable morsel before us all. We all want him. Want in.

Just a taste of his soul. A simple lick. We are demonic moths to a righteous flame, delirious with need. The closer we get, the more we burn. Our wings singed.

The entity next to me lunges for Jordan before the rest of us can, eager to try and force its way inside, through the chinks of Jordan’s body, and take root.

It doesn’t get far. Cock-blocked by a circle of salt.

Can he see me? Right in front of him? Reaching out? I’m here,right here, writhing amongst the mass of desperate entities, mere inches away, so close to his skin.

What he does to me, I can’t even begin to describe.

He makes our head spin.

Jordan’s not merely playing with fire, dabbling with things he doesn’t understand...

He is a fire. An inferno. See how he burns.

What adorable morsel is this?

If only Jordan could see himself the way I see him. The darkest lodestar, a human heliograph, emitting the brightest, blinding light. His chest cavity is on fire. Pure fury. Rippling vermilion flames rise up from the ribs, licking his skin. Light pours forth from his eyes, cast in every direction, burning everything in its path. Even burning me.

Jordan is our pharos, the black lighthouse to guide us all. To draw us in. So bright, it blinds me. Burns straight through. I’m nothing but ash now.Dust to dust...

Oh, Jordan, do you know what you’ve just done to yourself?

There’s blood in the water now.

feeding frenzy

Josie hesitated in front of her reflection. She’d just finished brushing her teeth, about to turn away from the mirror and wipe her face, when she halted to take herself in.

What was that?

Did she really see what she think she just saw? Her reflection moved a breath behind her, lagging by just a fraction of a second, almost dragging itself behind her real self.

Behind her.

Impossible. Stuff like that just doesn’t happen. Josie must be tired. Work has been getting to her lately, all those extra hours at the bar. She’s simply seeing things.

There’s a bit of toothpaste at the corner of her lips, dribbling down her chin. She should wipe her face. Go to bed. Pass out. Sleep the sleep of ten people and—

Josie smiles at herself. Correction: Her reflection does. Not Josie.

Not Josie at all.

Josie’s never grinned like that before in her life. Chin dipped to her chest. Eyes bearing down. A spume of toothpaste dripping, dripping, dripping off her chin.

Hold on. That’s not toothpaste. It’s...drool.