Shattered Glass

I stood silently as let go of my arm, he stared at me, from behind him a thin clawed creature appeared. It's skin was the color of coal, it's eyes yellow like those of a cat, with thin pupils like a snake, it's fingertips were covered with thin razor-like claws, it stood upright and smirked at the sight of me.

It began to circle me, assessing me, I clutched my cross bracelet, ready to pull it of my wrist and throw it at them if needed, but I just wanted to be able to get away.

"She isn't as pretty as the old one", said the demon.

"Don't be harsh, she's pretty her own way", said Domingo, I stared at them both, I can't for a second understand why I didn't notice it from the start.

"Well you do have a point, after all she is very kind and sweet, weren't you Ms. Bethany", said the demon, as it spoke it's voice changed and so did it's form until the person that stood before me was my assistant, Danie!

"She's been a real good boss, Ingo", it said as it laughed. I covered my mouth in shock, no... Danie, she can't be a demon. I felt my knees give out with shock, i was helpless on the floor as she laughed and giggled as she circled me.

"Surprised?" it asked me, I was just out of words, "well it took a long time before i found you, and it was doubly hard to make sure that you were the Traveller", it smiled at me mockingly.

I felt so betrayed, I felt as if I was a piece of shattered glass. Danie was my assistant, we were close,I trusted her, I told her about Annie, I told her a lot about my situation - she was at my condo unit! Memories began to come back to me, all the attacks that happened were in the office or some place that I told her about. The first attacks were at the office, where she was at close proximity, she was always the first one to help me, except the one when Officer Alcalde dropped by the office. She knew that I was leaving home, and I even told her about my address. She was connected to all of it. She must have loved to see me in distress with the hounds she sent to kill me, tears began to run down my face.

A sudden sense of anger burned up inside of me, that I forced myself up and did something even I didn't expect, I lunged at Danie, and pounded my bracelet into her face. I was so angry that I lost it, she betrayed me. I felt something sizzle under the bracelet, it was her skin. Danie howled in pain, Domingo was surprised with my sudden action that he failed to move. I pulled back my hand to see the burned skin on her face, but I continued to pound at her, fueled by anger and sadness. I felt as if I had lost my mind, i didn't notice something was coming, until I felt something locked it's jaw on my leg and dragged me away from her.

I opened my eyes to the sight of black hound biting on my leg. It's teeth punched through my leg, blood oozed out of the wound, my strength escaped me. Beneath the face was the dark horned monstrosity that caused my suffering for the last year, all i could do was cry.

Danie began to laugh at me as her skin began to cover her face, she walked towards me and in a flash I felt a kick to my side, I felt something crack. She pulled me by the hair and threw me at the floor and kicked me again. She my hair once more, shaking me vigorously, while she laughed at my every painful cry, I saw how her nail grew into thin knife-like claws, she brandished it closed to my face, "I never knew you had that part of you Bethany", she said to almost at a whisper, "but you know I won't die with those silly little punches" she laughed maniacally, she held her claws so close to my face that I felt it to my skin and as she pulled away I felt a searing pain on my cheek. She then threw back at the floor where her hounds bit my legs stopping me from running away

Domingo De Leon crouched down to my level, he was about to touch me when I slapped his hand away from me.

Danie sat beside me, I flinched, I remember being this close to her, and chills ran all over my body, "you know Beth", she said, "on Ingo's request and since you we really nice to me when we worked together, I decided that I'll cut you a deal." Her voice was hissy like that of a snake full of malice, I stared at the floor, i dared not look at her, "if you agree to be my new vessel, I'll let you go, and you and Ingo will live happily ever after."

My eyes widened, i began to breathe hard with the sudden feeling of pressure coming from Danie. "You know if you become my vessel I won't bother you and your family", I heard her voice in my head, images of my family began to pop in my brain, my sister, my brother and my parents. But then I saw Annie's smile, I shook my head vigorously, no I recalled how much pain any had to go through because of her kind, "No", I said and a sudden shock surged my body, I saw what seemed like bolts of electricity from her hands, she was electrocuting me.

"If you let me take over you, you can live happily, no need to worry about the world, I can give you everything, riches, and fame, I can give them all to you", she showed me images of all the good things in life, but in my mind etched the all the pain and suffering that Antonina had gone through, I can't let her sacrifice go to waste.

"No", i said once again a shock blasted through my body, I shrieked in agony.

"My goodness me, I never thought you were this stubborn" she mocked me as more electric shock surged through me, every time i said no to her offer. "Ingo, what do you see with this girl?" she laughed as she tortured me.

"Enough! You'll end up killing her and you won't have a new vessel", I heard Domingo shouted, he went to my side and held my already limp body from the torture it suffered. I was starting to lose my consciousness, "just say yes Bethany," he whispered, "I'll take care of you".

"No", I said with my remaining strength, I began to feel cold, I must have lost too much blood and my body already so weak from the pain, I felt death creeping in, and as my eyes succumbed to the darkness, the last thing I wished was to see Ciel one last time. Then a blinding light from the corner of my eye and a very soothing voice calling out my name.