Page 7 of Chaos Demons

“You have no right to speak to Ana that way,” I snarled. “Leave now or—”

“I’m not leaving without you, brother!” Melinoe roared in her rasping voice. “Either you come with me, or I’m staying here to keep an eye on you.”

That wasn’t going to happen. I stepped back, starting to close the door, but then Melinoe’s aspect of madness fully unveiled and crashed over me.

It shouldn’t have affected me. I was a stronger daemon than she was. But somehow her power hit me harder than my slap had hit her.

It only took me a heartbeat to figure out what had changed, what was different. My void was gone, and it had probably countered and crushed Melinoe’s power before now. Without it, I was vulnerable to the wild delirium she exuded.

Stunned and struggling to breathe, I staggered back, watching Ana reel back as well. My mind spun into delusions and mania, fears and foolishness.

Melinoe walked into the house, striding between us. “Yes, I think I’ll stay for a while and make myself at home.”

“Like hell!” Ana bit out, seemingly recovering from the madness far faster than I was… which was impressive. “Get out. Now!”

“Where’s your hospitality? I’m your lover’s sister. Shouldn’t you invite me in?”

“Fuck off!” Ana hissed. I felt something spark to life inside her, a flicker of some new aspect which felt a lot like Eva’s.

Well, that answered one question… but opened up so many more.

Yet, as much as Ana was able to speak — which was more than I could do — she was still reeling from Melinoe’s powers and not able to do much else.

Melinoe stared Ana down. “You have two choices,girl.”

The way she said the last word spoke volumes. She knew Ana was a new daemon — far younger — and probably no match for Melinoe’s powers.

“Either you let me live here and keep an eye on my brother, or…” Her voice got deathly low and vicious. “I send this entire household into madness.” She glanced at me. “I don’t know what you’ve done to my brother, but it’s clear you’ve weakened him. He shouldn’t be affected by my madness. So, I’m going to stick around for a while and find out what you’ve done to him. And as long as I’m here… I promise to keep my aspect to a dull roar. But if you defy me… I’ll send you over the brink into a true madness from which you and your family willneverrecover. So… which will it be?”

I reached out to Ana, a hand on her arm, finally able to find some words through the chaos in my mind. “Let… me talk… to her,” I stammered.

Ana glared daggers at Melinoe then nodded to me and backed off, turning and walking away.

Melinoe released her power, and I shuddered in a long breath.

“What’s happened to you, brother?” she hissed at me. “Why are you so weak? What has that whore done to you?”

“I love her,” I whispered, and pushed Melinoe back to the door. “And if you call her anything other than a respectable lady one more time, I’ll unleash my void on you, sister.” I honestly didn’t know if I could anymore. Though… if I got far enough away from Ana, I was certain my void would return.

Melinoe backed down a little. “Fine, brother. She’s a pretty little… daemonprincess.” The way she said it, with her lips twitching and puckered, suggested the word tasted foul to her. “But I’m still staying. My aspect shouldn’t have affected you like that. You’ve grown weak and I’m worried about you. Father has many enemies and if they knew you were like this…”

She wasn’t wrong about that. My father was the king of an underworld — and a general bastard — and that meant I’d made more enemies than friends as a young daemon. And — until Melinoe had affected me just now — I hadn’t realized how weak I’d become.

Without my void, I’d lost my main weapon against any vicious daemons out there who might seek to challenge a daemon prince. Just living without my void wouldn’t be enough. I’d need to learn to control it.

I’d always had atenuouscontrol over it. I could unleash it on others or keep it restrained when I wanted, but I’d never been able to control how it affected me.

I knew now I couldn’t just banish it. I needed to use Ana’s calming influence to learn to control my void once and for all… and oddly, having Melinoe here would help. She’d be able to test me as I hopefully built up my strength and control.

“Let me talk to Ana,” I said, my voice low. “I’ll agree to have you stay here, butonlyif you agree not to use your power on these people at all. Only me.”

“You know my latent abilities will affect them.” She shrugged. “I’m just that powerful.”

And she was. Not only was she — nearly — a match for me, but she was also linked to restless spirits. That meant that this time of year, as Samhain neared, she would get even stronger.

“But I agree to do nothing more than that.” She gave a wide and wicked grin. She knew even her latent abilities would eventually drive this household mad, and I could only pray I’d learn to control my powers before that happened.

“Agreed,” I said. “But Ana has the final say. Let me talk to her.”

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