Sarwat Chadda - Devil’s Kiss

Come outside. I’m waiting.

Her fingers tingled as she remembered running them through his hair, silver in the moonlight.

Please, Billi. I’m waiting.

Billi blinked her eyes open. It had sounded as though he was right beside her, whispering to her. Just a dream. She rolled over.

Not a dream, Billi.

‘Kay?’

Yes, Billi. It’s me. Come outside.

It sounded like Kay. She shook her head. It couldn’t be. Delirious. That’s what it was, she was delirious. The tenth plague was affecting her mind.

How stupid are you? Just look outside!

Now that sounded like Kay.

Billi stumbled barefoot up the stairs and paused. Beyond the boundary of the armoury what little protection she had would be gone. Even now she could feel the pain pulsing stronger and the red-hot claws scraping at her insides. She glanced around the courtyard, afraid she’d imagined it and he wasn’t there and it was all a dream and he wasn’t ever coming back.

Then she saw him, standing under the cloisters. He leaned against a column, arms crossed, without a care in the world. Ignoring the creeping illness that began to pollute her veins Billi stepped out into the rain. It flew down in dense sheets and the cold winds stunned her face, but she didn’t care. She shuffled forward, though it felt as though she was dragging her bare feet over broken glass. Even in the weak lamplight his skin shone brilliant white, his hair like spun platinum. The blueness of his eyes made her heart leap.

Kay.

Billi dragged herself under the cover of the cloisters and leaned against a column, trembling. She wiped away burning tears and stared at Kay, afraid to come too close in case this was a dream and he disappeared.

‘How?’ She came closer, but Kay took a short step away.

‘I was… saved.’

The fire. The building had collapsed.

‘The fire brigade saved you?’ She reached out her hand. Her fingers shook, but she wanted to touch him, to see if he was real.

‘No, not them.’ He came suddenly forward and held Billi’s arms and looked at her. ‘I came back for you, Billi. I couldn’t leave you.’

He was real.

Billi launched herself at him. She wouldn’t let him leave her – not this time.

‘I thought I’d lost you, Kay.’ She was cold and shivering and Kay squeezed her. ‘Where have you been?’ But she didn’t care; he was here now.

‘I did it for you,’ he whispered desperately. Billi felt him sob. She pulled back and looked up at him.

‘It’s OK, Kay. You’re OK. It’ll be all right now.’ But the fear in his eyes made her hesitate. He broke away from her and passed his hand over his face.

‘I did it for you,’ he repeated. What was he going on about? He looked over to the corner and Billi followed his gaze.

It lay against the wall, bright, deadly and silver. Her blood turned to ice.

The Silver Sword.

Billi walked over to it. Even without touching she could feel the power radiating from it. Slowly her fingertips touched the hilt and her hand gripped the weapon.

The spike of energy was stronger than before, a mainline of Ethereal power straight into her heart. Every atom of her burst with strength and the tenth plague evaporated instantly, burned off her by the sheer brilliance of the shining sword. Satan had told the truth after all: the sword did make her invulnerable to Michael’s powers.

She turned to Kay.

‘How did you get this?’ Fear inched its way through her and she tightened her grip on the hilt.

‘How d’you think?’ Kay reached out, pleading. ‘I did it for you, Billi.’

‘How, Kay?’

‘It’s me, Billi.’ Kay was a few metres away, but Billi could see the caution in his movements. He didn’t want to get too close. He was afraid.

Oh God. Billi felt her chest and pulled off her crucifix. She threw it on the flagstone floor between them.

‘Pick it up, Kay. Please.’

Kay bent down on to his knees, staring at the silver cross. Billi watched him, her heart tearing apart.

‘Please pick it up.’ If he picked it up everything would be OK. They’d be OK.

Kay reached out. His hand trembled as he got within a few centimetres, but by then his fingers shook terribly. They curled up and he drew his hand to his chest, cradling it.

‘What have you done, Kay?’ But she knew. He’d given away his soul to the Devil. For her.

‘It’s still me, Billi.’ He stood up and a change came over him. The light was gone. Billi could see nothing but a reflection behind the shining eyes and that smile that had once seemed to be in love with the world was just a few stretched muscles. He kicked the crucifix away. ‘It’s still me.’ He repeated it again as he strode forward, trying to persuade her it was true. Trying to persuade himself.

He grabbed her sword-wrist and the other arm went around her and he held her fast. His face hovered above hers and Billi saw the terrible struggle in the emptiness of his eyes. The hunger was already rising and he gave a feral growl that trembled up from deep inside. His body stiffened but his lips peeled apart and his teeth, already subtly sharpened into a row of razor-edged points, glistened.

‘It’s. Still. Me. ’ But his body shook with the lie.

‘I did it for you, Billi.’ And showed her as he sank his teeth into her neck.

TERROR

when the ground collapses and Kay tumbles down two floors, blinded by the dust and flames. He summons his will and floorboards tear away, hurled up at Michael like giant flaming spears. Michael rips down a wall and Kay dives between two half-collapsed beams. He covers his face and the smoke smothers him and he curls up, deafened by the roaring inferno around him.

PAIN

as the hairs on his neck crinkle, and blisters swell and bubble on his skin and he knows he’s going to die, burn to death. He coughs as the smoke tries to crawl down his throat and he is afraid. His shirt catches fire and the agony blanks out his mind as the building falls down and he’s held fast, unable to move, with the fire eating his arm.

AWE

at his appearance. He’s squatting on the burning support beam, oblivious to the fire around him. His eyes are empty sockets and Kay knows the Devil has come to witness his death. He must be brave and die a martyr. But he smells his arm burning and with it the sickening odour of fat and roasting pork.

ANGER

when the Devil admires his courage. Kay is a true Templar and will be remembered as a martyr. Satan has no wish to deny Kay his glorious death.

FIRE

eats at Kay’s limbs and wave upon wave of agony crash over him. His breathing is shallow, petrified gasps, but he grits his teeth. He must bear it for a little longer and then it will end, forever…

PEACE.

But what of Billi? asks the Devil. At least Kay chose to martyr himself. Poor Billi will die, like the other firstborn, in sickness and agony till the last. The deaths will be countless and there’ll be no martyr’s headstone for her. She will go in a mass grave, dumped into the cold soil with thousands of others, nameless and forgotten. A mere statistic. She will not die easy, but over the night each moment will be a fresh eternity of pain as the tenth plague gradually consumes her.

DOUBT

worms its way into his mind. What of Billi, indeed? asks the Devil. He reaches out his hand. Take it, Kay. If not for you, then do it for Billi.

BILLI.

Kay takes it.

‘No!’ Billi screamed, and tore free. She clutched her neck, low on the shoulder and her hand came away red and wet.

She stared at him. ‘Oh God, Kay. What have you done?’