The Devil's Demeanor Read Online Free Page B

too. A god was sent to earth
to act as this link. He was sent to destroy us.”
    “I remember the story, Master.”
    “Yes, but I have never told you all of this
story, and I trust you will keep it to yourself. This god was like the Trojan
Horse from the humans’ history. He was to penetrate our lair and blow us all
up.”
    “Wouldn’t that have killed him, Master? His
human host, I mean.”
    “Yes, which is precisely why he didn’t go
through with it. He and his host would have perished. Instead, he ran away from
the gods and lived among the humans. He mated with them, passing along this
dangerous link to different bloodlines, throughout generations.”
    “My boy may be the decendant of this runaway
god?” Machiska asked.
    “Yes. There may be others, as well, depending
on how robust the bloodline is. This boy and his father may be.”
    “Lucky I managed to find him, then.”
    “Lucky indeed.” Master coughed again. “I fear
my time is drawing near. Share this information with no one. Let none of them
find out what you are doing until you are sure you can succeed.”
    “I promise, Master.”
    “Hide the book. I don’t want that boy coming
along again.”
    That was Stephen’s cue to leave. He willed
himself awake, once again without the book. He didn’t care; he learned all he
needed to know.
    *   *   *
    When Stephen saw his dad again, he gave him a
hug. He even promised to go to church with him. Dad was, of course, shocked by
this, but not unpleasantly so. The two went to church the following Sunday
without incident.
    Over the next few weeks, things seemed to be
getting better for father and son. Until the nightmares started up again.
    These weren’t about rape and murder. Instead
they were about light and pain. He had been struck by lightning and the pain
had lasted for only a moment. Then he felt nothing but warmth. He could see
nothing but light and didn’t know where he was. He heard voices surrounding
him, though.
    And then he was driving his father’s car down
a highway. At least, he was behind the wheel. He didn’t feel like he was in
control of himself. He tried to look around but couldn’t. He could feel his
foot press harder on the gas pedal but hadn’t told the foot to do so.
    Someone was in control of his body.
    But this was a dream. Dreams were supposed to
be weird.
    Stephen saw a blue car ahead, one that looked
very familiar. His car sped up even more until it was right behind the other.
They were coming up on a bridge—
    Stephen woke with a start, muffling his
scream. It had become a reflex by this point. He waited for his dad to come
running, but he didn’t. He hadn’t heard his son, then. Good.
    Stephen sat in his bed, covered in sweat,
trying to remember what he’d dreamt about this time. For some reason, he
couldn’t remember. It was clearly a bad dream, though, if he woke up like this.
    A few weeks after Lucy’s death, Stephen
finally returned to school. He spent four years there, making new friends and
just barely passing his classes. After losing Lucy, he hadn’t cared about
anything else, but the creatures helped him realize he couldn’t dwell on the
bad his whole life. He had to keep himself distracted. School and friends were
the best distractions of all.
    In school he met a girl named Hilda. She was a
cute brunette who reminded him so much of Lucy, but he never allowed himself to
fall in love with her. They stayed friends all throughout school. When they
graduated in 1970, she moved to Georgia to take care of her father.
    Stephen returned to his father’s house until
he could find a job with his shiny new degree. He stayed there for five years,
saving as much money as he could before moving out for good.
    A year later, in 1976, Dad told him about his
cancer.
    Dad refused Stephen’s offer to move back. He
claimed he didn’t need taking care of, but Stephen visited often anyway. Willem
White successfully battled his cancer for years, never complaining or showing
his