Chapter 3

What is this strange thing happening to poor little Leigh? We learn out a lot morea bout him, as well as gain an ally on his side!

After about an hour, Ethan closed his book and threw his head back, letting out a groan of exhaustion. The headphones fell from his head and down to his shoulders. He turned and looked at me, his eyes glazed over. “Hey..” He said softly, standing up and stretching. I heard the gruesome pop as he cracked his back.

“Hey..” I said, my voice still weak from the previous adventures. I was laying on my side, looking out at his muscle and curves. He was slightly similar to my own, yet his waist curved in more, and he actually had muscle tone, especially in his arms.

When he looked at me, his eyes opened wider. He looked shocked. I met eyes with him, my brows furrowing. What was he so shocked about?

“Dude.. you're bleeding.” He said, pointing at my neck. That was where Nsokohir had kissed me at... I guess he had gone a little too hard at that one place, a single blood droplet rolled down my neck and onto my T-shirt. I went straight to taking care of it, disinfecting then putting a purple bandage on it.

Strange, that when I was given these bandaids they were nude.

“H-How...How...” His voice was coming out weakly, his breath sounded labored. I just rolled my eyes, he was finally seeing what I was saying. They claimed I had some way to get them on my neck, as well as all these cuts and scratches, though with my fingernails filed down and my room searched once a week for knives or other sharp utensils, and coming up empty, they blamed it on other “logical” reasons.

“Are you going to try and think of a logical reason too? Huh? A logical reason on why I get these marks I can’t possibly make, a logical reasons on how I get marks on parts of my body I can’t even touch? A logical reason for how I have a tattoo on my arm yet I haven’t left my house since I was 9? What logical reason will you think of?” I ‘huffed’ landing back onto my bed and hugging my body. I did have some resentment... A lot. But without that ignorance, I might not be around to this day.

He sat himself onto my my bed neck to me, looking over at me. “So...a Demon huh? That's what we’re facing?” He said, his eyes full of confusion and shock. I tilted my head. He said ‘we’,  not ‘you’. What did he mean about that? I looked over, my shoulder almost in contact with his. I nodded my head in agreement.

“Now... Tell me a little something about this demon.” He said, stretching and moving his feet under his body, sitting crossed-legged. He looked back over at me, a fake smile lingering on his lips. I could see now that he was afraid. I mean, if you heard your roommate was possessed with a demon, I feel you have every right to be afraid. Or request a room transfer.

“Well his name is something I can’t say out loud... Saying his name gives him the power to take your life energy.. And when he does, I can hardly move for around 2-5 hours...." I got a piece of paper and tried to sound-out spell his name: 'Nuh(s)oko-eer' I hadn't seen it physically written down before, so I tried my best. Ethan nodded, staring at it and sounding it out without his voice.

I turned back to him, continuing my description. His appearance lingered in my head, when he was so happy that time. "Well, he has dark purple hair, that’s pretty long.. His eyes are white with slits for pupils, like a cat, only his is surrounded with a little purple.Unless he's mad. When he's mad they go dark, almost black... Anyway, He’s tall, and he’s lean, but his body is toned just right, not very muscular but not skinny.." my mind was practically drooling over the thought of him. I really needed to get my hormones in place.

" He’s really pale..He looks practically white compared to you.” I got a chuckle out of Ethan, it was funny picturing hun next to Ethan, Ethan's dark skin so rich in color, while Nsokohir was so pale, almost lifeless..

“Now... He can be good and he can be bad... He’s saved me through a lot of bad times, but he always wants something out of it... When he’s happy, its really nice, he’ll get me gifts and take me to places when I sleep in his world . He can be funny and charming, and very persuasive.. He likes kisses but he’s never kissed my lips... He says he's saving it for later." I saw a genuine smile go on his lips. He was watching me with his eyes relaxing a little bit. This sounds good, doesn’t it? I haven’t gotten to the worse part though.

“When he’s mad,” I continued, my eyes resting on the floor before me, “It’s horrible... He likes to torment, manipulate, hurt, beat.. Not only me but my brother. He kept me isolated multiple times, and brought me near death more than I can count.. His mood is like a light switch, sometimes it’s up, but most time it’s down.... when he’s mad, there are very few things that can make him happy again that doesn’t involve pain o-or... More...” My voice was barely coming out as a whimper, I looked away from him.

“He’s possessive... Oh, so much. He doesn’t like my brother because he touches me.” That brought awareness to Ethan, who moved over a couple inches so our shoulders didn’t touch any more. “He just... just... isn’t always fair... But...But you won’t see him. He says he’s shy around humans with his appearance... And sometimes.. Sometimes he can take over my body fully.. I get locked away.. locked away somewhere in my mind where all I can do is watch... He has physical body, but this way I get punished for his actions...” I felt tears pressing their way through my eyes. I looked over at Ethan, my lower lip trembling. “I’m sorry I ever brought you into this..” My voice was weak, breathy.

“It’s okay Leigh. You’re my friend now, and I will do everything in my power to help you...” A smile came onto his face, showing his strength. “If not with solving the problem of splitting you up, but by finding ways to distract you from him. “ He said, his hand on my shoulder now. It was comforting, yet I still took a second to look around. That’s when the cold breeze came in, and soon I felt his hair tickling my exposed neck.

“Why, Why, Why, what pretty little marks you have, my pet..” He whispered, his hand coming down to gently caress the marks he left. My breath picked up, I felt that shiver go through my body, making all of my nerves aware. But not only I did feel the shiver, but so did the two men around me. I finally looked at Ethan who looked confused.

“I-Is he here?” He asked softly, removing his hand quickly back to his body. Nsokohir smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist. I looked back, asking for his permission before I even spoke. He nodded lightly, his eyes a bright white. He was caressing my stomach lightly with his claw-like fingers, sending tingles deep down.

“Yeah..” My breath was airy. I knew he could see my reaction from him but I couldn’t help it. I was unimaginably attracted to him. My body wanted him, needed him, his touch, his voice, his everything. Though I tried to fight it in my mind, I knew somewhere that my mind wanted him as well.

“Now, you’re going to be my little messenger boy, alright?” His voice was soft, sending shivers to continue down my body. I could only nod, my voice very untrustworthy. “Good, now, tell this human I will allow him to touch you, to speak with you, to live with you, as long as he keeps his voice off about my existence other than between him and yourself, alright? And, Might I add, that his touch and being stays innocent. If he touches you in a sexual matter, ever, I will devour his soul and pillage his body before he knows what happen. Got it?” his voice still remained sweet and seductive. I nodded my head weakly, my breath still being shaky.

"Oh, and by the way... I like your body too.” He nibbled my ear lightly, causing me to jump. That was my sensitive spot and he knew it all too well. He then released every part of my person and vanished, without so much as a goodbye.

“What did he do, are you okay?” Ethan asked, his eyes wide with fear. I now noticed he had moved as far back as the bed would allow him too without falling off. I nodded my head, in a dream-like state. I almost forgot about him.

“He has a message for you.... We can be friends and everything as long as you keep his secret... and as long as you ‘touch remains innocent’.. ? Otherwise you’re in danger.” I said softly, shrugging. I mean, who would find me attractive in the first place? I looked like death, I was too thin, too pale, my hair was too weird and too long, my scars were too much there,  I was too crazy, too possessed... I had little no worries about being seduced.

“Well... Good. I promise I won’t tell anyone about you, and with the touching part, I’m not gay so it’s okay.” He said, nodding his head, standing onto his feet. He was making his way back to the desk before turning back slowly. “You know who is though..”  he whispered, coming back over to me. he kneeled himself down right before my bed. “Terrance.” I felt Nsokohirs presence in my being, being attentive to his words through my ears.

Terrance? The really nice guy who helped me a couple times? He was gay? That made my heart skip a beat. If only, if only I wasn’t possessed by a possessive demon who would prefer his head on his wall rather the his head near my own... I bit my lip. Like I said before, there was no way anyone would have attraction towards me. I was just a troubled person.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that.” I shrugged, standing up and waking to the door. I stretched, my stomach growling. I was getting pretty hungry. I also got food on-campus but he had gotten money from my brother.

“Oh! Yeah, Im starved... You know what? Let’s go out for pizza. It’s our first day as roommates, after all!” He said with a smile, collecting his jacket and his wallet before grabbing my arm, leading me to the elevator.

“uhh.. I’m going to meet you downstairs..” I said softly, backing away slowly. He looked confused, his brows furrowing slightly with my actions.

“Why?” he asked, leaning against the wall as the elevator stayed at the same floor for too long.

“Oh, I’m horrified of elevators.” And with that, I was flying down the stairs, going all the way to the bottom. I moved to wait by the elevator, looking around the place. It was getting a lot more full as people checked in and moved to their rooms, or already finished packing and now were here to relax. The sun was already setting itself. Everyone was around the television, yet again, watching some sport or another. I just rolled my eyes, they weren’t so interesting. I didn't tend to enjoy men yelling actions at me, as the announcer did at that moment.

Some were playing those games again, screaming and yelling when they both won and lost. I saw a sign suggesting the large green one was a 'pool table'. I always thought a pool was one you swim in. I would have to ask Ethan to teach me how to play this pool sometime.

It was strange for me to suddenly think of Ethan to teach me things before my brother but... Alin always has his questions and always push things... Ethan doesn't seem like he would do anything like that. Plus Alin was acting strange these past hours being here, it left an unsettling thought in my stomach.

I was lost in my thoughts before I felt a presence in front of me. Looking up, it was the exceptionally large man I had bumped into earlier. He put his large bare palm on the wall beside my head, leaning his body down so it was hovering in front of mine. He was a good half a foot taller then me, more when I squeezed myself back into the wall as much as possible.

"You're the new meat, huh?" His deep voice boomed, a sinister look filling his very masculine features. I felt nothing but pure fear, not what I normally did. I was squirming, trying to get out of his graphs, looking for Ethan or Terrace or anyone to help me- no one was even looking our way.

"You're probably a gay boy too... Just you wait til I get mah hands on you. You gun hurt for days..." He growled huskily, his hand flexing its muscles into a fist and back. I seemed to not be following a set of rules I didn't know, because suddenly his hand made contact with my chin and harshly jerked it forward to look him in the eyes.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, Gay boy!" He growled, his hand physically hurting my chin with his grip. I let out a whimper, trying to get away but his body had me pinned to the wall.

"Hey, leave him alone John! He has done nothing to you!" It was Ethan's voice that spoke up, but he not so much as moved a muscle. His eyes still locked in their death match with mine.

"Get... Off..." I said weakly, almost as a breath. I felt the cold breeze, I felt inside the anger building up... I didn't want to hurt him.. I didn't want to, but he wasn't leaving me alone.

"Or what? You gunna cry to your little friend back there?" He taunted, his hand moving to my neck, holding it in a way where I was almost constricted from breathing. I wiggled more, placing my hand on his chest.

"John, let him go!' Another voice, Terrance, shouted. The pleas fell on deaf ears as his hand around my neck squeezed tighter and tighter.

"He... Said... Get...Off!" My voice wasn't mine. I wasn't doing it, his hands twisted into his chest painfully. He was pushed him back with so much force, he slam into that pool table. It gave out under his incredible weight, falling to the ground as he body stretched out on it. He seemed to be unconscious.

The entire place went silent, the only sound being the blaring television in the background. Everyone was staring at me, some moving their gaze over to John. Some even had their mouths gaped open. It was hard to believe that myself, weighing about 130 pounds, just pushed a man twice my weight off of me.

"Come on..." Ethan collected my shaken state, he put an arm around my shoulder and guided me out of the building. The fresh air hit my face, filled my lungs- calming me down quickly. We walked a few blocks down the campus, going far enough away so we were safe. But I felt more in danger here than I did back there. I haulted us in fear, my eyes wide.

Nsokohir stood in front of me, his eyes so dark I couldn't even see the light reflection, or the purple I've came accustomed too. He was giving me a hard stare, like I had messed up.

Ethan looked at me and over to where I was looking at. I felt his body tensed as he knew what I was looking at "Listen, Mr. Demon," Nsokohir growled, noticing his blant attempt to avoid using his name. "It wasn't his fault, that guy is a big bully and what you did was great, maybe he will stop picking on smaller guys." He said softly, though I knew in his own eyes, he wasn't there. Nsokohir scoffed, walking over at a slow, menacingly pace. He placed a hand on Ethan shoulder lightly, leaning to his ear.

"You, little human, are braver than your wit." He spoke smoothly into his ear, his eyes moving to look at me- I was held in its dark grasps. Though I felt a ping of something horrid in me... Jealously. I didn't like him that close to his ear, his smirk lacing his face, his body almost touching Ethans.. Snapping out of it, I was pleading for him to not harm Ethan. Ethan had tried to stop John, but his arm was bigger than ethans leg. It would be no match. John could destroy both of our bodies without breaking a sweat.

Ethan took in a sharp breath, his eyes going wide. He just finally heard the demon. But after regaining his composure, he turned his head the direction of Nsokohir. He opened his mouth to speak, but in that instance he was gone. Ethan could feel that too, he would be wasting his breath.

I shook my head lightly. He was mad and I was his thing to get it out of him. But he wouldn't do it out in the open like this. It would ruin his fun if I screamed out just to loud to warn the dorm security  I put my hand lightly on Ethan's shoulder, waking him up from his trance.

"Let's go get some food..." I said, moving our thoughts away from Nsokohir ans to our empty stomach. Ethan smiled weakly at me, walking us to the pizza place in total silence. We both had lots on our minds.

_____

We were sitting there, eating pizza in silence when someone walked in that grabbed Ethans attention. His pizza was stopped midway to his mouth. I followed his gaze, locking my eyes on that handsome, handsome man named Terrance. He really looked very attractive. I remember those words from Nsokohir to 'stop drooling'.

“Hey!” He sat down next to me, just enough so our shoulders brushed against each other. I felt every nerve awake, feeling each and little bump we occasionally would do. I was so focused on that that I ended up just staring at pizza. I only snapped out of it when Ethan coughed, stifling a laugh.

“Wow, John really is a big baby... Now, you know, you have to be careful Leigh. John wont let you humiliate him like that... But I think you can handle “yourself”” He said, suggesting something. His eyebrow was practically wiggling from his suggestion. I smiled and nodded, looking over at Terrance, ready tp gawk more, but out eyes made contact. He caught my eyes, holding them with a smile on his lips. I lost the stare down,  turning back to my plate to stuff a piece of pizza in my mouth, feeling embarrassed.

“So, Leigh, where are you from?” Terrance asked, smiling when my cheeks were too full of pizza to answer. Ethan lowered his eyes, one eyebrow raising. I prepared myself to get called out, it was obvious from my blushing and bashfulness that I liked him, but what he said next suprised me.

“I think you just came here for free pizza, Terrance.” Ethan proclaimed, arms crossed over his chest. Terrance had, indeed, grabbed a piece of pizza. He shrugged, trying to keep an innocent look at his face but there still was a smirk filling his handsome features, playfulness filling his eyes.

“Of course not, I came to get to know your new roommate!” He quickly ate that pizza slice, all of it in one bite. I laughed when Ethan still growled, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His lips remained in a straight line, before he laughed out.

“Niceeee.” He said, as Terrance had chipmunk cheeks filled with pizza. I laughed as well, smoothing back a piece of hair that fell from my ponytail. He looked so funny like that! Also the fact that he had a splotch of pizza sauce on the side of his cheek. I picked up my napkin and went in, dabbing it off gently, still laughing. Ethan was busting a gut, Terrance face turning red and he struggled to get everything down in a timely manner.

When he did we settled into a comfortable silence as we continued to work on our large veggie pizza. It turned out Ethan was a vegetarian, which meant he didn’t eat meat. I was fine with that, though I normally did eat meat and found nothing to stop me from continuing. Honestly, I liked meat. I heard a chuckle in my head.

‘Oh, you’re going to eat meat a lot later, my pet. But you'll like this a lot better. ’ His voice purred in my ear, causing me to spit out my ice tea into the near-bye napkin. I was coughing, having gotten a little in my lungs. My face was burning red - why did he have to do that right now?! Terrance patted my back gently, chuckling slightly.

“Go down the wrong way? I hate when that happens.” He continued on his food once I managed to calm myself down. Why did Nsokohir do that? He was embarrassing me in front of these people I would call my friends! Even though they haven't called me on yet, really..

“Well, I do detect and accent from you, Leigh. Where are you from?” Ethan interrupted my thoughts, catching me off guard. I blinked and shook my head, clearing my throat.

“I’m from this little town in the U.K. It’s nothing big like London or anything.” I had to cover my ears when I heard Ethan squeal. He was giggling like a mad man. Me and Terrence gave him a look like he was crazy.

“I love british accents! I thought you had one but I didn’t wanna bug you about it.” His grin was wide spread on his face as he was moving his shoulders in a little dance. I scoffed, shaking my head lightly. I didn’t have a very strong on, since Nsokohir was the one I talked to the most and he had an american accent like these two. So, I adapted.

“If you really want to hear accents, get my brothers on the topic of sports and there will hardly be a word in there that you could catch.” I said, smiling very slight. Well, that would sure make a sight for sore eyes, my brothers sitting around the lounge, talking with my father about sports. That happened so much when we were little, though I normally just sat in the corner, reading a book. But then they started to hate me...

“Brothers? Do you have more siblings?” Terrance continued, listening more questions. I appreciated it though, because I wouldn’t have known how to continue it anyone. Though talking about my other siblings was not a fancy of mine. But as long as I stayed with the current, and not with the past, it would be fine.

“Yes, I have 4 siblings. Three go here, one graduated a couple years ago... There’s Alin, my twin, who’s here to play football and study psychology. My other brother is on his 3rd year here, Derek, he plays football as well and he’s going for professional... My sister Aveline also goes here and she is in the music program, it’s her 4th year... My eldest brother, the one that graduated, played basketball here...” I said, thinking harder than I should have to, to remember what they are doing  here.  Mostly because I didn't really care. Ethan and Terrance stared at me with large eyes.

“Derek and Aveline Throne?” Terrance said, looking me up and down, as if analyzing me. I looked at the two of them confused. What was with the look? I nodded my head- that was their names, and my last name, but what was with them?

“Dude, Aveline is like, super professional! She is in, like, ever concert, she even has them all by herself! She can play like what, 11 different instruments?” Ethan said, his face grinning as he thought about her. “She’s also so pretty, I mean, her hair is so gorgeously long and her eyes are such a pretty color, like..” He looked at me as a blush crawled on his face. I furrowed my brows, what was that suggesting? Did Ethan have a crush on her? “S-She looks nice.” He ended, finishing his slice of pizza.  He didn’t know what she was like, she looked nice sure, but she wasn’t. Far from it.

“Derek Thorne in the star of the soccer team, I mean, he can do, like, all of these crazy things with the ball I’d never expect even humanly possible!” I smiled at Terrance’s choice of words. Of course not. Derek had sold his soul for that ability, and he was taking well use of it. I rolled my eyes, they sure made a reputation for themselves here. “Plus he’s so nice, I mean, he’s humble about his playing and like, will even to talk to all of his countless fan girls.” Terrance's eyes almost glazed over, nibbling the end of his slice. Not him too!

“Well, appearance isn’t always what it seems..” I mumbled, catching both of them by surprise. I didn’t want to shatter their bubble... plus my own protective one. So I decided to let them keep up their little fantasies of my siblings. I looked at our dish- the pizza was completely gone now. I smiled, glad that Terrance had come to eat it all up. I hated wasting food.

“Seems Like we finished the pizza.... Let’s head back, see the damage.” Ethan said, standing up. Myself and Terence were quick to follow, heading back to the dorm. It was time to face the music.