Demons and Witches

Marcus could feel the ravenous, hungry demon clawing inside of him, howling for blood, almost completely unhinged in its urge to lay waste to the entire forest for the sake of carnage and bloodshed.

Even if it was to kill another demon.

Especially if it was to kill another demon.

A straight up fight, under these circumstances and in the monster's territory, would be suicide. Marcus understood this, but the knowledge didn't make slinking away into the dark any easier.

Stubbornly fighting the overwhelming urge to give in and kill and slaughter those who had attacked him and almost murdered Evelynn, Marcus instead retreated quietly into the darkness of the woods. The darkness and the mist were no hindrance to his demon enhanced sight. Delicately, Marcus picked up Evelynn's limp body in his arms and carefully channelled a small amount of the fire burning inside of him to close her wounds and simply keep her alive and breathing. Once more, the demon crawling around in his mind sensed a moment of weakness and screamed at him, blotting out all other sound and thought completely, demanding that Marcus seek blood.

Focusing on his breathing, Marcus walked away ever so slowly, carrying Evelynn's limp, cold body in his arms, hunched and desperately tired. Silence followed them as the light of a beautiful young woman was quietly extinguished behind them.

****

Epilogue

As Marcus neared the light at the end of the path, he lowered his head. Turning around, still carefully holding the unconscious, sleeping Evelynn in his arms, Marcus allowed his willpower to slip for a moment as he closed his eyes and muttered the words of a dead, ancient language he had been forced to memorize long ago. Clenching his fist and visualizing a growing vortex of flame and destruction growing and expanding in the palm of his hand, Marcus tunnelled every spare morsel of the chaotic vortex of energy howling inside of him until breathing became a struggle and sweat from his brow rolled into his eyes. When he finally opened his hand, releasing the energy with a painful jolt, Marcus' glowing red eyes were treated to the sight of an enormous fireball slowly rising into the sky from the direction of the river. Warm heat washed over his back like a Summer breeze a moment later as Marcus turned and stumbled out of the forest, every muscle in his body throbbing, watery, and weak.

With a tired smile, Marcus threw a middle finger backwards to the darkness behind him as he heard the ghoulish scream echo in the night.

Didn't kill the Reaper and his minions then, but that probably hurt like hell.

Good.

Unleashing the energy was like scratching a mosquito bite, though. Temporary, soothing relief followed by an even stronger urge afterwards. That's how the demon got you.

Marcus looked down at Evelynn's sleeping face. She was still wearing his jacket, though it was torn, ripped and unbelievably muddy. Her black dress lay in tattered rags, however, and though it was completely inappropriate, Marcus found the amount of skin showing very distracting. His inner demon howled for a different kind of release, before he slammed the door in its face. He brushed a muddied strand of hair from her face, before sighing wearily and stumbling on.

It was worth it.