Devil Inside (21 page)

The decorations in this room were certainly more personal—and infinitely stranger.  Hung on every square inch of wall space were pictures of cartoons.  Everything from old classic cartoons like Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner to new, half naked cartoons that Harley didn’t know the name of that looked Japanese.  There was a desk placed in front of two large windows.  It looked like it was made of bright blue plastic and was covered with important looking papers and maps.  Harley couldn’t quite wrap her head around what she was seeing before her examination was interrupted by Nya who spoke from a bright orange couch to Harley’s right.  “Good evening,” she said simply.

Harley jumped and slapped her mouth closed.  She quickly realized that she wouldn’t be able to cover up her amazement with the room, so she didn’t even try.  Moving on, she responded, “Hello.”  She worked hard to make sure that her voice didn’t squeak or crack.  Nya was reclined on the couch but sat up as she once again began studying Harley.  She held her hand out inviting her to sit with her.  Harley lowered herself onto the opposite end of the couch.  She was close enough to Nya to smell the coconut lotion or perfume that she wore.  Her braids hung down around her shoulders and she was wearing a large black sweater and black tights.  She was watching Harley with that same slightly amused smile again.  Harley wanted to avoid getting caught in a stare down again so she continued to take in the room around them while Nya watched her.

The room must have originally been more than one room, just like the bathroom she had used to get ready.  It was as big as at least two decently sized bedrooms.  Besides the couch and the desk across from it, there were comfortable looking chairs and the other side of the room was filled with a large comfy looking canopy bed and shelves of DVDs and books.  The middle of the extra large room was empty and it looked as if it had been left purposefully left bare since the rest of the room was so heavily furnished and decorated.  The rest of the furniture seemed to be placed around it and in the center of the empty space was a large round carpet that looked like it had been taken from a child’s daycare.  It was black with bright geometric designs floating across it.  She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at the décor of the room and she wondered if Nya had purposefully designed it to look like the nursery that belonged to the children of circus performers.  Despite the room’s absurdity, or maybe because of it, Harley appreciated Nya’s sense of humor even more.

When she wasn’t able to avoid it any longer, Harley turned to look at Nya.  The woman was still watching her, but the smile had grown even wider and her eyes burned through Harley with enough intensity that she had to will herself to not flinch.  Watching Nya watch her, Harley realized what was so unsettling about the heat of the woman’s gaze.  It gave off a mad quality that made Harley expect the woman to sudden whip out a teacup while putting on a giant hat.  Harley swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the woman’s gaze and not laugh at the images that bounced through her head.  She couldn’t help but feel like the woman was purposefully trying to make her nervous by staring at her. 
Well, I hope you have fun with that lady
; Harley thought to herself and refused to be the first to break the silence.

After what seemed like ages, Nya finally spoke.  “Why do you think Levi brought you here?”  Her velvety voice wasn’t judgmental or cruel.  It was simply curious.

Harley considered the question carefully.  “He says it’s because I’m strong.  That I should be able to defend myself—and avenge my friend…”

“Do you feel strong?” Nya asked still curious.

Harley shrugged.  “Sometimes.”

Nya nodded knowingly.  “So, are those the only reasons he brought you?”

Harley took a deep breath.  “Those are the most important reasons,” Harley answered cautiously.  Nya’s smile turned into a grin and her hazel eyes glittered.

“Why do you want to join the Praesidio?”

“…I want to avenge my friend’s death.  I want to stop other people from getting hurt.  I want to be strong…” Harley’s answer trailed off.  She found it harder than she expected to put her desire into words.

Nya watched her for a while longer.  Harley refused to be intimidated by her stare.  She went back to looking around the room.

“Are you prepared to die to gain the power to achieve these goals?”

Harley mulled this question over.  Was she will to die to avenge Jamie’s death?  Did that really seem reasonable? 
No, it doesn’t.
  Harley had to be honest with herself.  She knew that while revenge burned at the very core of her being, there were other motives behind her actions as well.  She didn’t deny there was a selfish desire for power that lay behind her decision as well.  Having recognized that fact, she made her peace with it.  When Jamie died, so did her last desire to belong—to fit in with a society that she had never really felt connected to anyway.  Finally, Harley answered slowly and surely.  “Yes,” she said with confidence meeting the other woman’s intense gaze.

Nya gave one of her nods again.  “Welcome to the Praesidio,” she said simply after a brief pause.

“Huh?”  Harley asked, losing all her hard fought composure.

Nya laughed loudly, throwing her head back.  “What were you expecting?”

“I-I have no idea really,” Harley stammered.  “I just figured that I would have to convince you or something.”

“You did.  You had convinced me that Levi was right last night.”

“Huh?” Harley asked again stupidly. 
Well said, dumbass

Nya watched her for a moment.  “I agree with Levi.  You are strong.”  She was quiet for a moment again, finally she continued in barely more than a whisper.  “I think the balance needs you.”  The words had barely left her mouth before she shook her head slightly and looked a bit confused—as if she wasn’t sure why she had said that and then continued on as if it hadn’t happened quickly recovering her half mad grin.  “I think Levi was drawn to you.  He watches the balance, and I think he senses the balance has set its sights on you as much as Levi himself did.”

Harley was dumbfounded and speechless.  Before she had a chance to question Nya’s words the woman stood up, revealing just how tall she was.  She was easily six foot even in her bare feet.  “Let’s go,” she said motioning towards the door.

“Where are we going,” Harley asked, standing up from the couch.

“I’m sure you are hungry, right? I told Levi I would bring you to the kitchen when we were done.”

“Oh, OK.”  Harley followed Nya from the room feeling dazed and trying to catch up to what had just happened.  At only five-four Harley had to scramble to keep up with the long-legged Nya.  She swiftly led her through the house back to the kitchen that they had entered through last night.  Harley had time to consider Nya’s theory that Levi’s sense of the balance between light and dark compelled him to bring her into the Praesidio.  She didn’t doubt that Nya was probably right.  It would explain why Levi would get involved with a human in the first place.  He had explained that it was frowned upon—to say the least—for Nocte to associate with humans.  It didn’t change her feelings toward Levi.  If the knowledge changed anything it only made her more confident that she was making the right choice in joining the Praesidio.

  When they finally arrived they found Levi sitting at the breakfast table.  He looked at Harley and Nya expectantly.  Nya answered his unspoken question.  “She’ll make a good fit in the Praesidio.”  Harley swelled with pride at her words.  It actually seemed real now.  Levi let go of the tension he had been holding in his shoulders and Harley could tell he was relieved despite his confidence that everything would go well.

Levi had stood from the table and closed the distance between him and Harley.  She could tell he was happy because of his trademark smirk.  He leaned close but didn’t touch her when he whispered in her ear, “I told you so.”  His breath tickled her neck and caused her hair to stand on end.  He stepped away and motioned towards the table.  “Have a seat.  I’ll make you a sandwich.”

Both she and Nya sat at the table.  “I’d love a sandwich as well—thanks for asking,” Nya snipped playfully.

Levi smiled at her jab, “No mayo, right?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Nya answered.

“Me either,” Harley wrinkled her nose.

“Neither of you know what you are missing,” Levi mumbled shaking his head.

Harley suddenly felt anxious.  As the minutes passed her decision became more and more real.  She realized that she was now on her way to either becoming a “vampire” or dying.  She felt ready to jump out of her seat and do cartwheels with nervous energy.  “So…what now,” she asked, directing the question at both Levi and Nya.

Levi looked to Nya for an answer.  Nya studied Harley for a moment.  “Well, waiting isn’t going to do anyone any good.  We’ll attempt the bond tomorrow.”

Harley’s pulse picked up, both at the word “attempt” and the word “tomorrow.”  Nya seemed to read the look on her face.  “Don’t worry.  I’m confident it will go fine.”

“I keep telling her that,” Levi mumbled.

Both Harley and Nya ignored him.  He brought both women their sandwiches and set a bag of chips on the table.  Harley was struck by the absurdity of the scene.  Two demons/vampires and a human were sitting at a table eating sandwiches and cheddar and sour cream potato chips and drinking tea.  She couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped, nearly choking her.

“What?” Levi asked.  Both he and Nya were watching her.

“It just occurred to me that it would be less weird if you guys were drinking blood right now,” she laughed and Nya and Levi joined in. 

After they finished their sandwiches Nya went to take care of things that she didn’t elaborate on.  She seemed preoccupied and lost in thought for most of the meal.  Levi and Harley returned to their bedroom.  As soon as the door shut behind them Harley pushed Levi onto the bed and threw herself on top of him.  Levi’s eyes widened in amusement but didn’t question her actions.  They both knew what this was.  This was the last time that they would have sex with Harley being human.  Levi rolled her across the bed while pulling her shirt off.

“Will sex be different when I’m Nocte?” she asked as Levi gently sucked on her nipple, sending chills down her arms.

He raised his head and looked at her.  “Not that I recall.  It’s been a long time since I had sex as a human.”

Harley remember just how long ago Levi had been human.  “Were you married before you bonded?”

Levi paused with a flabbergasted look on his face.  “No, why would you ask that?”

“Well, you were how old when you bonded?  Late mid to late 20s?”

“Yeah…27.  Why?”

“It just seems like at that age, at that time, you would have been married and had a family already.”  She tried to tell herself the questions weren’t coming from jealously, but, again, she wondered how much she was fooling herself.

The corners of Levi’s lips turned up slightly as he continued to look up at her.  “Jealous?”

“No!”

Levi chuckled softly.  “In those days you didn’t marry unless you could afford to.  I had spent some time in the military and when I came home I helped my father on our farm.  We hoped to get the farm back into good standing before I found a wife.”

“Oh.  OK.  I just wondered,” Harley laughed.  “But wait—people didn’t just run around having sex like they do now, did they?”

Levi looked like he was trying not to laugh.  “Well, no.  Not like they do now.  But there were certain places you could go.  Places where guys and girls of certain morals could go,” he laughed.

“Oh, I see,” Harley laughed.  “Say no more.   So, sex will still feel as good, right?”

“If not better,” Levi answered.

“Good to know,” she flipped him over ran her tongue down his chest to his stomach.  She used her teeth to unbutton his jeans and his stomach jerked with his sharp intake of breath.

Harley was careful to pay attention to every detail of this sexual encounter.  She memorized the feel of Levi’s rough hand as he trailed his fingers down her back.  She counted the number of kisses he trailed up her neck.  She committed the taste of his skin to her permanent memory.  She knew that Levi had told her that she wouldn’t change that much, but she wanted to make sure that she cherished each sensation.  She had no idea how she would feel, or if she would even be alive tomorrow.

Afterwards, they lay in bed facing each other.  “What will happen after the bond?” she asked him.  She refused to keep thinking in terms of “if.”

“You’ll begin training.  You’ll be stronger and faster and heal quicker.  But you still have to learn to fight.  You’ll also have to learn to adjust to the bond.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, not everyone takes to the bond immediately.  Sometimes it takes a while to...settle.”

Harley furrowed her brow, “How long did it take you?”

Levi thought hard.  “A week or so, I guess.”

“Who will be training me to fight?”

“Mostly Nya.  Others of us will help some.”

“Is Nya a good fighter?”  She knew that she must be good; otherwise she wouldn’t be the trainer.  But she couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t be out fighting if she was that good?

“I’ve encountered very few people who were as good as Nya.”