Shrieks filled the night.

Zereth made a face. “The beast shrieks.”

The guard nodded fearfully and began unlocking the many locks on the door. He twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. “She’s all yours,” he muttered then hurried away.

Zereth stepped into the now-silent room. The girl was sitting in the center of the room, her black hair hanging in front of her dead black eyes. Her blood red lips parted and she shrieked again. The window behind her shattered and a shard of glass sliced her porcelain skin.

“Leave me!” the demon screeched.

Zereth strode forward and slapped the girl across the face. “Shut up.”

She froze and her eyes filled with tears. The girl returned to herself and stared at Zereth. After a few moments she threw herself into his arms and began to cry. Zereth rested his hand on her head and let her cry.

3 years later…

“Zereth, what will we do today?”

Zereth looked up at Kumari. “We’re not doing anything, Mari, you know that.”

Kumari sat down beside him. “I’m bored, though.”

He shrugged. “I’m sorry.”

Sighing, Kumari curled up and rested her head against his shoulder. Zereth looked down at the sixteen year old girl with raven hair, obsidian eyes, porcelain skin, and blood red lips. She was his love and his curse. He touched her silky hair and closed his eyes.

He’d been with her for three years and she had been his hardest job yet. By now he should have moved on to another job; it should have taken only a few months. But it hadn’t.

Three years earlier, at the age of sixteen, Zereth had received a letter from the palace asking him to make an appearance before the king. He’d gone quickly. At the palace the king and queen had spoken to him privately. One of their daughters, Princess Kumari, had been possessed by a demon since birth. She was thirteen years old and had murdered thirteen caretakers. Even as a toddler the demon had been able to make her kill. They had heard of Zereth—the miracle demon-tamer—and had called him. He was their last hope.

Zereth had accepted a hefty pay in order to live with the princess in her private home and tame her demon. The home was set behind the palace and surrounded by a twenty-foot wall. For the moment, Zereth was keeping the demon at bay with serum he had created. He injected Kumari every night and had her wear a pendant necklace containing a supply of the serum in case of emergencies. Technically the serum should have weakened the demon enough for it to be tamed, yet it was still as strong as ever. Zereth was beside himself.

He was startled out of his thoughts by Kumari’s cold fingers tracing circles on his neck. He opened his eyes and looked down at her. “Kumari…”

“You fell asleep.”

“Did I?”

“Yes. Look! Night has fallen.”

Zereth looked around. He was surprised that he had fallen asleep for so long. “It’s time for you to go to bed.”

“Come with me,” she murmured.

“No. You will sleep alone just as you always have.”

Kumari glanced toward her room where she had a huge bed piled with the best pillows and the warmest, softest blankets. “My bed is too big for just one person.”

Zereth pushed the girl off. “I told you to get to bed.”

Kumari glanced at him, her eyes wild. Zereth cursed and lunged at her. She tolled out of his reach and laughed. “Stupid demon,” he growled. He scrambled after her and got a hold on her arm.

The demon screamed and began to thrash wildly. Zereth pulled out the serum and hooked his arm around Kumari’s neck. He didn’t have time to ready a needle to inject her, so he forced her mouth open, poured the serum into her mouth, and held her mouth closed. Kumari’s body stilled in his arms.

“Kumari?”

“Yes, Zereth,” she answered shakily.

Zereth released her and took her hand. “Time for bed.”

She nodded and allowed him to lead her to her room. He pulled back her blankets and she climbed onto the bed. She look so small and weak surrounded by the mass of pillows and blankets. “Make sure you sleep tonight,” he said as he walked away from her.

“Okay.”

Zereth paused at the door, looked over his shoulder, and smiled at her. He continued on into his room and lay down on his bed. His eyes were heavy with sleep but he forced himself to keep them open. He wanted to give in and let himself fall into a deep slumber, but deep slumbers were a haven for nightmares. You’ll lose again. His eyes grew heavier. You’ll lose…