Not for the first time, Kyle wondered why no one else ever saw what he saw when he looked in the mirror. Why only he could see the great leathery wings, curling horns or tail.
With a quiet sigh, Kyle brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face and returned to adjusting his shirt collar. Six years in was a little late to start wondering about those sorts of things.
You’ve got something most people don’t.
“You?”
A low chuckle followed his question. You’re not wrong. This is how it’s supposed to work - you use my eyes, I use yours. And you get to see what other mortals can’t.
“Hmm.” He hadn’t had enough coffee yet to get into the finer points of his possession. There were more pressing concerns than his ability to see demons where others couldn’t. “I’m going to stop at the store on the way home from school. What do you want, Ryka?”
Just beer.
“Are you sure? I’m not going out twice.”
Yes, I’m fucking sure. And what are you now, my wife?
“Feels more like being a babysitter, actually.”
So cruel, and so early in the morning.
“You started it. But I don’t have time to argue with you, though I know how much you enjoy it.” This he said with a smile. Every morning, it was the same thing. If Ryka didn’t get all the verbal harassment out of his system, Kyle would have to put up with a running commentary while trying to teach. And although everyone at school knew he was host to a demon, he still hated being caught talking to Ryka. He was quite sure no one appreciated the reminder, either.
Yeah, yeah. I’m going to sleep.
“Please do.”
Don’t act like you enjoy not hearing from me all day. You can’t hide anything from me.
Kyle was just as bound by the truth as Ryka was. Ryka was forbidden to outright lie to his host by the contract they had formed. And since Ryka could sift through all Kyle’s memories and emotions, he really couldn’t lie to the demon, either. “I know. Sweet dreams, dear.”
Like a cat, it seemed that Ryka could fall asleep almost on command. Before Kyle was even out the door, he knew the demon was already slumbering. The sudden quiet in his head never bothered him, though. If Kyle were even potentially in danger, it would only take Ryka a fraction of a second to react.
And in the past two years, it had seemed to Kyle that he had required an awful lot of protection. For the first four years he had hosted the parasite demon, his life had gone on as normally as he ever could have expected. Except for increased spending on alcohol – and that only recently - and a new nicotine addiction, not much had changed.
But two years earlier, things had seemed to take a drastic turn for the worse. He’d found himself in too many situations where the only way to avoid being seriously hurt was to summon Ryka, or let Ryka handle things himself. Something which rarely ended well for the offending mortals.
It had already been a year since the terrible incident at the prom. And Kyle was anxiously awaiting the next calamity. All he could do was hope it wouldn’t be another horrifying spectacle. If he had to endure his punishment for taking in a demon on Earth, he was fine with that, as long as others weren’t involved.
These thoughts were still running through his head when he pulled into the parking lot at school. Now struggling to focus, he grabbed his briefcase and headed for his classroom. Nick and Tommy were already waiting for him. “I’m not late, am I?” he asked, glancing at his watch.
“No, my Mom had to drop us off on her way to work. My car’s in the shop,” Nick explained.
“Ah. All right then, come on in.”
When he had first met them as sophomores, he never would have dreamed these two boys would have been capable of becoming halfway decent human beings, never mind the much-adored President and Vice President of their class. But being lectured by a demon had turned things around for his American History class. Those students, seniors now, were all very involved in school and had, for reasons he couldn’t always fathom, taken an immense liking to him. So much so that he had been asked to take on the role of their class advisor, in place of a teacher who had retired the year before.
Which was the reason the two boys had been waiting for him. Their senior trip was in two weeks, and there were still details that needed ironing out. “Did you get money and permission slips from everyone yet?” Tommy asked, plopping down at one of the desks in the front row.
“I think we’re still waiting on a few people. But I know one of them has been out sick all week.” Kyle found the list in his briefcase and handed it to the boys. “Find the rest and tell them we need the money by Monday, or they won’t be able to go. The hotel needs a final count Tuesday at the latest.”
“Did you say you can get tickets for some of the other stuff ahead of time, too?” Nick asked.
“I should be able to.”
After the problems he had experienced on the Boston and Salem field trips two years earlier, and the prom disaster, Kyle couldn’t believe he’d been talked into chaperoning another event. Especially an overnight trip to New York City for the graduating class. Because he knew as educational as he tried to make it, the kids would be more interested in having fun. Of course, he wanted them to enjoy themselves, but he was more than a little concerned about what kind of trouble they could get into in such a big city.
“What’s wrong, Mr. S.?” Tommy was nervously studying Kyle’s expression. Sometimes, it was hard for Kyle not to let his worry show.
“You guys are all going to be on your best behavior on this trip, right?” Already, he had visions of Ryka loose in a city of millions, and all because of a couple bratty kids.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Saunders,” they replied in unison, both completely serious. “We all know to be good,” Nick finished, dropping his gaze to the floor.
“Okay. Well then, find out what’s going on with our stragglers, and we’ll meet again first thing Monday.” The boys agreed then left, he hoped to collect the rest of their trip funds. He had something important he needed to fetch as well.
Early as it was, there was already a line at the coffeemaker in the teachers’ lounge. Groaning, he got into the queue. “They really need to invest in another one, huh?” Adam asked, turning around to face him.
“No kidding.”
“How’s planning for the senior trip going?”
“Uh, not bad.” Since he had begun this conversation with Adam, the lounge had gone completely quiet. Most of the school staff, and some of the students, were still nervous around him. He always tried his best to ignore the uncomfortable silences that seemed to follow him around. “It should be a good trip,” he continued, sounding only slightly more confident than he felt.
Adam smiled. “The kids’ll definitely have lots of fun.” Exactly what Kyle was worried about. “But hey, class time. See you at lunch.”
In the short time they had been talking, Adam had made it to the front of the line. Now Kyle stood, staring at the nearly empty pot of coffee. He poured himself the nearly-burnt dregs, started a new pot then headed back to his room. As soon as he was out of the lounge, the chattering began again.
They didn’t do it on purpose, he told himself. They had every right to be afraid.
Damn straight. They’d be pretty fucking stupid if they weren’t.
“You’re awake?” It being one of his free periods, Kyle’s classroom was deserted. He closed the door behind him before settling himself at his desk. At least he could talk to Ryka here without frightening anyone.
You were getting all worked up. It was pretty annoying.
“Sorry.”
Forget it. The door suddenly locked, and the shades closed themselves. I’d put down that coffee if I were you.
“No. Not here. What if someone caught me?”
If that’s the only thing stopping you, I can assure that no one will ever find out. Kyle didn’t doubt him, but that was beside the point.
“I have work to do. Go back to sleep.”
Although what Ryka was offering was certainly more enticing than the stack of correcting that awaited him, he had to put his foot down. He already catered to too many of Ryka’s bad habits. This was not going to become another.
Of course Ryka couldn’t just let it go. Seemingly of its own will - but most certainly of Ryka’s - Kyle’s arm moved to set his mug down. Once that was accomplished, his hand disappeared under the desk.
Already, his fly was down. “I mean it, Ryka. No.”
For a moment, Kyle felt sure he was going to be disobeyed. But he suddenly regained complete control of his body. Heaving a sigh of relief, he zipped back up. Yes, Master. The disappointment in Ryka’s voice actually made Kyle feel bad. He really was a complete pushover.
“Tonight, okay?”
Deep laughter greeted his submission. Stud, you’re really easy.
He couldn’t stop himself from blushing, but he ignored the remark and returned to his work. Sometimes, he really thought his fifteen year old students far surpassed the five hundred year old demon in terms of maturity.
***
There was no other word for it but “miraculous.” The three buses for the senior trip were scheduled to leave the school at five-thirty in the morning, and he and the other chaperones had expected to be waiting until at least six for a significant number of dawdlers. But all ninety-three students had shown up in plenty of time, even though most looked like they had literally just rolled out of bed.
They actually left ten minutes ahead of schedule. Pleased that things were off to such a great start, he dropped into a seat near the front of the bus, setting his duffel bag down on the empty spot next to him. One of the other chaperones on his bus, Mackenzie’s mother, Natalie, sat across the aisle.
He could feel her gaze, but closed his eyes and leaned back, pretending to sleep. It was too early for conversation. And he wasn’t pretending for long. They had only been on the road for about an hour when someone tapped him on the shoulder, waking him. “Mr. Saunders, do you have any Band-Aids?”
If it had been too early for conversation, it was definitely too early for blood. He opened his eyes to find one of the boys, Jason, holding a bleeding finger a few inches in front of his face. “How did you do that?” Kyle asked, trying to not gag. He carefully reached over to unzip his bag, avoiding getting too close to the wound.
But the blood became the least of his worries when his whole bag started vibrating and humming loudly. “Damn toothbrush,” he said, shuffling through the contents of the duffel, which he was sure he’d packed much more neatly. After what seemed like minutes of searching, he was able to stop the vibrating and focus on finding a bandage. “Here you go.”
Jason took it, and quickly started back to his seat. His face had been as red as Kyle’s had felt. There was no way Jason had believed the lie about the electric toothbrush. “Ryka….”
If that was your toothbrush, I’m using that from now on.
“How did that even get in my bag?” he asked quietly, through clenched teeth.
Better safe than sorry.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
No, I guess it doesn’t. Oh well.
Kyle would have liked nothing more than to continue the interrogation and find out how exactly Ryka was doing things without his knowing, but he caught Natalie staring at him. She had been asleep, at least until he had started going through his bag. The noise had obviously woken her. And now he was apparently talking to himself.
Still, he was impressed. More than two years had gone by, and Mackenzie had never let slip about her teacher’s dark secret. At the moment, he wished she did know. Then he could explain away the rather embarrassing situation he now found himself in. All he could do was pretend nothing had happened and go back to sleep.
Tommy woke him when they pulled into a McDonald’s for breakfast. “Are you eating?” he asked, when Kyle stopped just outside the bus and didn’t appear to want to go any further.
“You guys first. Besides, I need a smoke. So go on.” With a shrug, Tommy turned and tailed after his peers.
Sighing, Kyle settled down on the nearest curb and watched the kids file into the restaurant. He was so intent on keeping an eye on his charges that he didn’t notice Natalie sitting down next to him. Not until she spoke, anyhow. “Are you feeling okay?” She looked genuinely concerned.
“Yeah, thanks. Why do you ask?”
“Maybe it was just a dream, but you looked like you were in pain.”
“It was a dream. A recurring nightmare, actually,” he told her. A well-deserved snarl followed his explanation, but that was for him alone.
Their talk was interrupted by Mackenzie, who stopped in front of her mother, arms crossed over her chest. “Mom,” she said, in the tone perfected by teenagers everywhere that clearly expressed just how humiliated they were by their parents. Admonishment and imperative all at once, dripping with adolescent angst.
“Coming, honey.”
As soon as they were out of hearing range, the growling started in earnest. Don’t let her flirt with you.
“What are you talking about?”
You’re dense. Even her kid knew what she was up to. Her asshole of an ex is dead, and you’re the one that helped get them away from that bastard. Just as Ryka had predicted, Mackenzie’s abusive father had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away a few weeks before the start of the school year. She’s willing to show you her gratitude in bed.
Kyle dropped his cigarette, stomping it out with his heel. There was no denying that Natalie was an attractive woman, but he didn’t want that. He never would have. And Ryka should have known that. “Is there any way you can make me sleep the rest of the bus ride?”
I think I can manage that.
***
With Kyle soundly asleep the whole time, the rest of the ride to New York City passed by uneventfully. Still drowsy, he staggered off the bus after the kids and followed them into the hotel lobby. It took close to an hour to get all the room assignments straightened out, and get himself switched to a smoking room.
Then it was back on the buses and off to the ferry that would take them to the Statue of Liberty. The trip was split between free time in the city and group tours, the latter of which had been voted on by the entire class. “We’re meeting outside the gift shop at three-thirty!” he called to a quickly dispersing mass of teenagers.
Hey, don’t just park your ass on a bench for the next two and a half hours.
To appease Ryka, he walked halfway around the island before finding a place to rest. And he immediately regretted not continuing his stroll. No sooner did he seat himself than Natalie settled herself next to him, and much too close for his comfort. Or her safety.
“I’m glad the kids got nice weather for this trip,” she remarked, staring back toward Manhattan.
“Me, too.”
There was a brief moment of silence, during which she scooted even closer. “Since the kids are all on their own tonight, I was wondering if you wanted to join me for drinks.”
Ryka growled, luckily only for Kyle to hear. This fucking cu-
Clearing his throat to censor the insult, Kyle offered a weak, “Well, um, I just ….”
When Kyle didn’t finish the thought, she continued, “I’m sorry if I’m being too forward. Mackenzie said she was pretty sure you were single, so ….”
He knew there was only one way to end this. “I’m afraid she was mistaken. I am seeing someone.”
Unlike the situation with Kate, there was no one for Natalie to turn to here. And Kyle thought trying to comfort her would just send the wrong signal. Better get that. Kyle was on the verge of asking what Ryka meant when his cell phone started ringing. The caller I.D. told him he was receiving a call from an impossible phone number: 666. It would have been funnier if it didn’t mean Ryka had discovered another alarming skill.
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“Uh, excuse me.” This to Natalie, followed by an only slightly-anxious, “Hello?”
“Neat trick, huh, stud?” Static almost completely obscured Ryka’s voice on the phone, but he could still hear the demon loud and clear in his head.
“How?” was all Kyle could manage to say.
“Just one of those things. I’ve gotten much better at messing with all this technology lately, wouldn’t you say?”
“Unfortunately. But, um ….”
“You better tell her your very jealous boyfriend will eviscerate her in front of her bratty kid if she even thinks about making another pass at you. Unless that’s what you want.”
“No!”
“Okay, then. I’ll leave it to you. Bye, stud.”
“Bye.” Still in shock, he shoved the phone back into his jacket pocket, then returned his attention to Natalie. “Speak of the devil. That was him.”
“Oh. Oh!” The realization quickly dawned on Natalie. “I see.”
“And he’s a little, um, overprotective, so I’m afraid I have to turn your offer down. Thanks, though.” Hoping to put an end to an awkward situation, he got up and continued on his loop around the island. He risked a glance over his shoulder, and found her still sitting on the bench, now rubbing at her eyes. “I feel like an ass.”
You’re too much of a stud for your own good. Better just lock yourself in the hotel room until tomorrow.
“Keep dreaming.”
***
To avoid causing any problems, Kyle had eaten dinner by himself. Ryka happily chatted away, knowing that his Master wouldn’t reply while they were out in public. He had to amuse himself somehow, after all, and causing Kyle discomfort never failed.
Really, though, Kyle didn’t mind. During class it was a distraction, but any other time, he enjoyed listening to Ryka. And once he was finished eating, and was wandering around the city, he had no problem keeping up his half on the conversation. People he passed didn’t even seem to notice. “I’m going to do some shopping, but what should we do after that?”
Hmm. Isn’t there a hot tub at the hotel?
“I think so.”
Do that!
“Sure.”
It kinda feels like we’re on a date.
“You know, you can be crass, cruel, and you cause me no end of trouble. But when you say things like that ….”
He could see Ryka’s enormous smile. I can’t help being a pain; it’s how I was made. But I want to make my Master happy.
“I am. Very happy.”
Ryka had been right. Maybe Kyle didn’t have someone next to him, hand-in-hand, but it really did feel like a date. Exploring the bustling streets, browsing cheesy souvenir shops and high-end boutiques. And trying to do a little shopping at the places somewhere between those two extremes.
For the remainder of their outing, Kyle asked for, then was forced to ignore, Ryka’s opinion on everything he tried on. Demons, it turned out, had even worse fashion sense than he did. We don’t wear clothes, Ryka reminded him.
***
Around eight, Kyle finally made it back to the hotel. A few of the kids were at the pool, and he noticed the girls watching him as he climbed into the hot tub. “Shh,” he said, before Ryka had the chance to get upset. Closing his eyes, he leaned back, sinking into the water up to his chin. “Don’t let me fall asleep.”
Yes, Master.
Although the heat didn’t bother him - Ryka had relaxed enough to let him enjoy it - he decided he didn’t need to stay in the hot tub all night, regardless of how relaxing it was. After an hour, he climbed out, grabbed his towel, and headed back toward the elevators. Still dripping wet, he rode up to the floor that the senior class was staying on. He didn’t expect them to be sleeping, but it was definitely a little too noisy in some of the rooms.
Something smells good.
“Huh? What?”
Booze. And lots of it.
“In the kids’ rooms?” Kyle stopped, his flip-flops squeaking as he halted outside one of the rooms. “Well, I need to tell them to quiet down anyhow. But I really hope they weren’t that stupid.”
Come on, would you really be that surprised?
Kyle said nothing, but wrapped his towel around his waist and knocked on the door to the loudest room, and the one that Ryka was sure smelled the most like liquor. The boy with the paper cut, Jason, opened the door, and turned ghostly white. Now Kyle had no doubt that they were doing something they shouldn’t have been.
He let himself in, and the noise instantly stopped. “What are you all up to?” he asked. As if it weren’t perfectly clear.
No one answered him, but every one of the twenty kids crammed into the hotel room stared sheepishly at their feet. And he was rather disappointed to see Nick and Tommy in the group. Check the bathroom.
Kyle did, and gasped. The bathtub was half-filled with ice, and nestled in the make-shift cooler were at least a dozen bottles of liquor, and a few stray cans of beer. “Unbelievable.” Shaking his head, he turned back to the crowd, mostly boys, who were now watching him nervously. He was about to start lecturing, but wasn’t given the chance. The transformation was already halfway over before he even realized it had started.
“Why do you enjoy upsetting my Master so much, hmm?” Ryka asked, stretching his wings. “And you do remember what happens when you upset my Master, right?”
Twenty high-schoolers managed to climb onto two queen-sized beds. It was the farthest they could get from the demon, considering he was blocking the door. “Please. We’re sorry. Really,” Tommy pleaded.
“I doubt that. But you know what? I don’t give a shit. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll make a deal. Your booze for our silence. Or don’t you want to graduate?” If the principal found out what had happened on the senior trip, none of the kids in the room would be allowed to graduate. They were all minors, and were on a school trip. And at the moment, the thought of being in the same building as Ryka for another year was a very effective threat.
“Take it. Please.”
“Good boy.” Ryka squeezed himself into the bathroom, pulled every last bottle out of the tub, and tied them up in the towels. “Come here, kiddies.” As many of them as could fit gathered in the doorway, their movements mechanical as their brains fought the demon’s influence on their traitorous bodies. “Now, keep in mind, your bodies are much closer to the boiling point, so it wouldn’t take nearly this long.”
Watching the kids for their reaction, he plunged one hand into the ice. Flame crawled over his skin, from his shoulder down to his fingertips. Even underwater, the Hellfire burned bright. It was less than a minute before the ice melted completely, and another few seconds before the water was boiling, steam rising from the surface.
Threat effectively given, he stood, grabbed his bundles of liquor, and laughed as the kids all but trampled each other to get out of his way. “Here’s a souvenir.” From one of the towels, he grabbed a bottle of tequila. Five big gulps, and the bottle was empty. He tossed it onto one of the beds. “Don’t fuck up again.” And then he was at the exit, wings tight against his back to squeeze through the doorway.
You’re going in the hallway? You shouldn’t do that.
“No one’s out there that shouldn’t see me.”
I don’t like that answer.
Ryka didn’t feel like responding. Instead, he cast one more sinister glare over his shoulder at the kids before leaving their room. The hallway, as he’d told Kyle, was mostly deserted. Mostly, because Natalie was waiting, bottle of wine and two glasses in hand, outside Kyle’s room.
“You just don’t know when to quit, do you?” Ryka snarled.
If Natalie had been surprised by Kyle’s confession earlier, she was now completely shocked. Eyes wide and mouth hanging open, she stared at Ryka. Try as she might, she couldn’t force herself to actually say anything.
“Remember that jealous boyfriend my Master warned you about? Well, that’s me. So I suggest you leave the wine then get lost, unless you want to find out exactly how much of a monster I really am.” He smiled cruelly, baring his teeth.
Natalie managed to shake her head. The bottle and glasses slipped out of her hands, and she was halfway down the hall before they even hit the carpet. “We’ll definitely be getting trashed tonight,” he said, picking up the wine before unlocking the door, a task which only required a quick glance. Once inside, he stripped off Kyle’s wet bathing suit, put on some lounge pants at his Master’s insistence, grabbed a few bottles of his newly acquired alcohol, and headed for the roof.
Kyle wondered how much of a coincidence it was that they didn’t pass a single person on their way, or have any trouble reaching their destination. Once there, Ryka settled himself on the very edge, letting his feet dangle over the steep drop to the street below. “Hope you’re not scared of heights,” he said, using a claw to pop the cork out of the bottle of wine. That lasted just as long as the tequila had.
Not really. But I know you wouldn’t fall. Kyle kept quiet while Ryka moved on to his next drink – vodka. The view is incredible. Before them, Manhattan glittered under a full moon.
“Yeah.” Taking a quick breather between drinks, Ryka set his bottle down next to him. It was there for only a moment before a strong enough wind picked up to knock it over the edge.
That’s not good.
“No shit. It was still half-full. What a waste.”
That’s not what I meant. If that hits someone ….
“Boo hoo. No one here was going to live forever anyhow.” To that, Kyle said nothing. What was there to say? Ryka was right. “Don’t get all depressed on me now. We have a lot of drinking to do tonight, and I don’t need you wallowing in self-loathing the whole time.”
Sorry. But do I get to have some, too?
“Of course. You want it now?”
I’ll wait until we’re back in the room.
Kyle didn’t have to wait too long. After his second helping of tequila for the evening, Ryka made his way back to their room. Kyle was sure he had never seen the demon so unsteady on his feet. His tolerance was extremely high, and Kyle could hardly afford to buy enough liquor at one time to get Ryka truly drunk. And even without having had a single sip himself, Kyle already felt a bit tipsy.
“Still wan’ some?” Ryka inquired opening up a bottle of rum.
Actually, I’ll pass. Just stay in the room the rest of the night, okay? And if you’re going to play with yourself, close the curtains.
“Yes, Master.”
***
It disturbed Kyle that he couldn’t really be sure exactly what had happened once Ryka had gotten seriously drunk. Apparently, they were both in the dark if Ryka blacked out. Sometime around four, the demon had finally fallen asleep, and Kyle had again regained control of his body. He had very quickly discovered that Ryka had consumed enough alcohol to kill a normal person.
“Ry,” he had groaned, clutching his stomach. “Wake up.”
Wha? Wha’s wrong? had been the slurred reply.
“My liver. I think it actually hurts. Please, I -”
Laughing, Ryka started the transformation. “I think I can sleep an’ fix you up while staying like this. So, good night.” Ryka had immediately passed back out, but since Kyle was now in the background, he couldn’t rest. Luckily, whatever Ryka did to make him feel better, it didn’t take long, and Kyle was able to scrounge a whole hour of sleep.
Although Kyle had the same familiar dream, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy. And when the alarm went off at six-thirty, his fears were quickly realized. A shaft of sunlight pried his eyes open, and to avoid it, he rolled onto his side, where he accidentally inhaled a few feathers. “What?” he managed, choking. He opened his eyes to find himself staring at a rather large pile of down, and the empty remains of every last pillow that had been in the room.
Now wide awake, he sat up and hesitantly began surveying the rest of the damage. It looked like someone had taken a chainsaw to the bed. Batting from the comforter was strewn about the room, and springs poked up through huge tears in the mattress. A cart that had once been used to deliver room service items was overturned in front of the door, surrounded by a pile of empty dishes. The television lay in pieces on the carpet amidst a collection of liquor bottles, many of which were shattered.
As for the dresser, it had been reduced to kindling. It seemed that the only thing that hadn’t suffered any damage was the nightstand next to the bed. Where, Kyle correctly guessed, a Gideon’s Bible was kept in the top drawer. And he knew the only reason that had been left untouched was because Ryka was currently occupying the body of a human sinner. All he could hope was that his own luggage had been spared. Otherwise, all he had left were wet swim trunks, or shredded lounge pants, which he spotted hanging from the remains of the ceiling fan.
“Ryka, wake up. Now.”
Hmm? What’s up?
“What the hell happened last night? I’m never going to be able to pay for this.”
Kyle looked slowly around the room, which forced Ryka to do the same. Wow, huh? Guess I got a little excited. Or bored. All I can say is that what happened to the bed probably didn’t have anything to do with what happened to the rest of the stuff. Probably.
“Ryka ….” There had been very few times in Kyle’s life when he had actually been able to feel his blood pressure rise. This was one of them. “I can’t believe this.” He was angry enough that even Ryka knew to keep quiet. “What am I going to do?” Sighing, he slumped forward. And he felt himself start to blush. Faint red lines criss-crossed his chest and stomach, and more traced a path from his knees to his groin.
You asked for those, Ryka explained. Begged, actually.
“I don’t remember,” he mumbled, all his anger replaced by embarrassment.
You changed your mind again about having a drink, and while you were doing that, you wanted me to -
“Okay, okay. But really. This is a little much. And you called room service?”
You told me not to leave the room. And I didn’t.
“Did you order all that?”
No. But the guy screamed and ran when he saw me. He left it, so I took the whole thing. Come on, don’t be mad. You don’t have a hangover, right?
He had been so concerned with the state of the room that he hadn’t even noticed how bad he wasn’t feeling. Usually, Ryka left him to deal with all the negative effects of a night’s worth of boozing. “I appreciate it, but this is a disaster. I better never have a hangover again just to make up for this.”
I can do that.
“Why haven’t you done it in the past, I wonder.”
Besides trying to figure out how to fix it? It’s part of the deal - I’m supposed to let you suffer if you let me do shit like that. But I won’t anymore, I promise.
Grumbling to himself, Kyle swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and made his way to the bathroom, carefully avoiding the shards of glass jutting out of the rug. Due to the fact that Ryka couldn’t easily make it through the doorway, it had been spared. And Kyle heaved a huge sigh of relief when he saw his duffel bag on the floor next to the bathtub.
The only items missing were his swimsuit, lounge pants, and the toy Ryka had snuck in, something Kyle still wondered about. Want me make it up to you some more? Ryka asked as Kyle got into the shower.
“No. I need to go beg the hotel manager not to arrest me.”
Ryka’s silence bothered Kyle. Normally, he would have expected at least one threat to the manager’s health. It was obvious he was plotting something, and Kyle wasn’t sure he wanted to know what.
As he finished cleaning up and getting dressed, he tried not to think about it. Without any further mention of the night before, Kyle started down to the hotel lobby. A few of the seniors were milling around, waiting for friends. Not ready to face hotel management yet, he too headed out into the crowded streets. A short walk from the hotel, he found a café and stopped for breakfast. Since he didn’t have to meet up with the rest of the group until nine, he took his time. Until housecleaning discovered the mess in his hotel room and forced him to face reality, he didn’t want to go back.
***
Nine o’clock finally rolled around, and Kyle helped usher the senior class back onto the buses. The second attraction they had wanted to visit was the Empire State Building. After seeing the world through Ryka’s eyes while he’d perched on the very edge of a building, seeing New York from behind a chest-high concrete wall and chain link fencing wasn’t all that impressive.
“Mr. S.! Can you take our picture?” Groups of senior girls were congregating around him, waiting for the honor of having the handsome Mr. Saunders touch their cameras, and maybe even brush their hands by accident. How he was still this popular when they all knew about Ryka, he couldn’t comprehend.
“Um, sure.”
Ryka grumbled the whole time, but otherwise behaved himself. Kyle strongly suspected he was saving the show for later. And he was right.
After their outing, the group headed back to the hotel. They needed to check out before heading off to their next event, a tour of the city. Fearing the worst, Kyle snuck back into his room. It was just as he had left it, minus a pile of feathers, the room service cart and the dirty dishes. “Oh, not good.”
Relax. It’ll be okay. Just go back downstairs, Master.
Kyle nodded slowly and did as Ryka suggested. When Ryka called him “Master” in a certain tone, he found it difficult to refuse the demon. Regardless of how, things were about to work out in his favor, and he was starting to be okay with that.
The entire senior class and all the chaperones were already waiting in the lobby when he stepped out of the elevator. They weren’t alone - the hotel manager was with them. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and his face was beet red. “Mr. Saunders? Could I talk to you for a moment in my office?”
“Sure,” he replied, trying to calm himself. That feeling of confidence he’d enjoyed on the ride down was rapidly vanishing. Shouldering his bag, he told the rest of the group to head out to the buses. A little hesitantly, they did as he asked, and Kyle followed the manager into his office.
“I have the bill for your room damages. This needs to be settled before you leave.”
Kyle groaned. His credit cards were almost maxed out, and he knew he didn’t have enough in the bank to cover the whole bill. He opened his mouth to try to explain his predicament, but his words were muted by Ryka’s laughter. “Yeah, we’re going to settle this, alright.”
The manager stared wide-eyed at Kyle, wondering how this man’s voice had dropped nearly an octave so quickly. But that change was nothing compared to the one that took place when the rather unassuming person before him pulled off his shirt. And when the transformation was complete, he wondered how that same quiet man had turned into a snarling monster. A monster aiming its furious glare directly at him.
Ryka backed the manager into a corner, placing one clawed finger in the middle of his chest. “It would be wise of you to forget all about that bill, and all about us.” As he spoke, Ryka dug his nail into the other man’s chest, and a red stain bloomed on the front of his shirt. “Unless you want to find out what I can do with the rest of these.” He waved his free hand in front of the manager’s face. “How do you think you’d like picking your own intestines up off the floor?”
Grinning, Ryka drew his hand back, and demonstrated the maneuver he’d use to gut the other man. The manager’s shirt split open, and blood trickled out of a cut that ran across his stomach. A wet spot spread across the front of his pants and started down his legs. Long gone was the manager’s angry red complexion. Now he was ghost-white, stammering wordlessly at the monster keeping him trapped in a corner. Over one of its wings, he could see his way out. It felt a million miles away.
Ryka followed his gaze and grinned. “You want out?” Tears spilling, the manager nodded. “Then we have a deal, right? Master keeps his money, you keep your life. Fair?” The man nodded, tears streaming down his face. “Good, now get the fuck out of here.”
The moment he scurried away, Ryka returned Kyle’s body to him. Kyle avoided unconsciousness, but barely. Now hurry up, stud. The bus is waiting for you.
“Okay.” Exhausted from the transformation, Kyle barely managed to rally the energy to get his shirt back on, never mind stumble out to the bus. Still panting, he plopped down in his seat, ignoring the strange stares and tense silence of the other passengers. It was something he managed to do through the rest of the afternoon, as they toured New York City.
Only on the ride home later that night, when most of the kids were sleeping, did Nick and Tommy finally approach him to apologize. “Don’t worry about it. I did stuff like that when I was your age, too. And really, Ryka just wanted to drink.”
“But ….” Tommy started, obviously expecting something far worse was still in store. Demonic intervention aside, Kyle was still their teacher, and had caught them doing something illegal. Their fates were squarely in his hands.
“But nothing.” When the boys remained fixed next to his seat, Kyle continued, “How about a deal? You’ve been doing a good job keeping my secret. So how about I keep this one for you? With the promise you close out this school year with perfect behavior.” They had five weeks of classes left; it shouldn’t have been a problem. But just to guarantee it, Kyle finished with, “Neither of us wants to speak to you again about this kind of thing.”
“Yes, Mr. Saunders,” they said together. “We promise.”
“For real,” Nick added, recalling they had already made this bargain once before. Dipping their heads, they thanked him profusely - but quietly - before heading back to their seats.
Devious, stud.
That hadn’t been his intent, but the reminder had seemed effective, judging by the way both had flinched. He wasn’t sure how to feel about Ryka not being the only one making threats that day.
He stewed over it long enough for most of the other passengers to doze off. When Kyle was sure no one was paying attention, he asked, “Do you think I’m a bad person for always letting you fight my battles for me?”
You’re joking, right? Most people would be seriously abusing my power, wanting me to kill everyone who ever pissed them off. And then there’s you, stud, the man who summoned me because he couldn’t open a fucking jar of pickles. And even that you felt guilty about.
Kyle laughed. It was embarrassing, but he couldn’t deny it. “You were asleep. But I guess you’re right.”
I am. Get used to it. There was silence while Kyle watched traffic on the highway. He was almost sure Ryka had fallen asleep before he started up the conversation again. What was it you called me this morning?
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry. I felt like crap; I couldn’t even get your whole name out.”
I kinda liked it. “Ry.”
“Yeah? You don’t mind?”
No one’s ever called me that.
His own smiling face was reflected back at him as he turned again to look out the window. It still amazed him that a demon could exhibit the same emotions as any human. Especially these gentle feelings that made Kyle melt. “I’ll use it from now on, then.”
Really?
“Yup. So, about today - thanks, Ry.”
Master ….
“But you’re still not going to call me by my name?”
Not a chance, stud. Not a chance.