3

I could hear loud voices coming from Robert's study and that's where I headed. It looked like the room's sole purpose was to argue in.

I knocked nicely, then walked in without waiting for an invitation.

Robert and Cesar stood on opposite sides of the desk: Robert straight as a ramrod, his arms crossed on his chest. His agitation only showed in the intense glare of his pale face. An unshaven Cesar, red with anger, bent forward, his hands leaning on the desk, arguing animatedly.

"One kiss isn't going to bring back anything! If not me, who else do you suggest? Who do you feel you can entrust Maya to?"

"That's my business," Robert hissed. "Don't you ever touch her!"

Both fell silent and stared at me. The moment didn't seem particularly apt. I took in a lungful of air intending to blurt everything out when Robert interrupted, nodding at me,

"And please take this... lady back. I don't want strangers haunting my house."

He turned away. I stood there speechless. So that's how it was now, then? I was bending over backwards seducing the poor wretch, quite prepared to sacrifice myself to Maya's wellbeing — and now I was a stranger haunting his digs? Haunting!

Cesar cast a guilty glance in my general direction. He shrugged helplessly: you can see he's in a state. "Sorry, Allison. I'll take you home now. Have you had breakfast?"

I didn't give a damn about Robert being in a state. On my way to the office I'd kept thinking of a diplomatic way to let him know his daughter had been taken over by someone... something else. But now I'd thrown all diplomacy to the wind.

"Sorry, Cesar, I have more important things to take care of," I said. "I was talking to Maya. Or should I say to the incubus?"

"Maya?" Robert swing round. "Is she all right?"

"You mean, to the succubus," Cesar corrected me mechanically. "Listen, it's really serious. How about you have breakfast in town? I need to go get someone anyway."

"I'm going to fetch whoever I choose," Robert said through clenched teeth. "No need for you to come back. And you, Allison, I'd really appreciate it if you forgot the way to-"

"You two are fucking idiots!" I announced. "You have problems, can't you see that?"

Robert's pale cheeks gained a bit of color. He wasn't used to being interrupted. Indeed if looks could kill I'd have already lain there cold and stiff like an ice statue and equally beautiful with my arms across my chest. "It's the incubus! The same demon that first possessed Arthur has now taken over Maya! Hello! Aren't you listening?"

"Impossible," Cesar snapped. "What makes you think so?"

Robert shuddered. "Where's Maya? Is she all right?"

It had probably not been a good idea to be so blatant with him. I could have used some preparation, I suppose.

"She came to my room and hit on me first thing in the morning. It's up to you whether you believe me or not. I'm telling you the way it was."

"A lesbian succubus?" Cesar exchanged concerned stares with Robert. "Allison, are you sure? You sure it wasn't her attempt to swap bodies as happened to yourself the first time?"

"Yes, I am sure! Why won't you shut up and start using your heads!" I very nearly screamed the words at their faces. "It's something very strange, don't you understand? I did try to pull her out but she... he said, the incubus I mean, that he wanted me. He, not she, do you understand? Come on now, move it! Maya is unconscious in my room!"

"She what?" Robert's cool arrogance was gone. Shoving me out of the way, he darted out of the office. Cesar and I exchanged glances before following him.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Cesar managed, gasping for breath as we ran. "If you made it all up just to get to him..."

"Bullshit," I snapped back. "You think I don't understand this is serious? You'll see in a moment."

Robert was about to force the locked door when I arrived with the key. Cesar shouldered him aside while fiddling with the lock. We barged into the room, all three of us.

"Jesus! Is she alive? She's all white!"

Maya lay on the bed as I'd left her with her hands tied in front of her. Her bound wrists were the first thing you noticed.

"Why this? They'll bruise her skin!" Robert began undoing the bathrobe sash.

"Please don't," I began.

He swung round, all pale. The glare he gave me made me regret I'd said anything.

"Out," he hissed. "It's all your fault. Had it not been for you..."

I choked in indignation. So that's how it was, then? "Fuck you," I said. "I'm not your whipping girl. You two forced me to come here. I was busy living my little life knowing nothing about any demons, and now you got me into this mess and are trying to make me the scape goat? Very well, then. You sort it out. I'm off. No need to take me. I'll find my own way home."

Cesar grabbed my hand, stopping my soliloquy.

Maya opened her eyes and looked at her father.

Robert recoiled, letting go of the herbal noose. The demon's lecherous eyes stared at him.

The incubus took in our confused faces, lingering on mine. A salacious grin parted Maya's pale lips. "Allison. You're still here..."

She strained her arms, trying to get up. The noose creaked, about to fall apart. Cesar grabbed the sash that Robert had dropped by the bed and draped it over the girl's wrists. She tried to worm herself free. Cesar attempted to shove her back onto the bed but the fragile girl pushed him off with remarkable ease and slid to the floor, then jumped up.

Cesar and Robert exchanged glances and went for her. Robert was holding his daughter's shoulders while Cesar secured the sash around her wrists.

Apparently, the incubus had only just realized he'd been immobilized.

"What's that?" Maya inquired studying her wrists. "What's going on here? Allison, I thought we were going out? Papa? Why have you restrained me?"

Robert turned green with all the contradictory information. He could see the demon's fiery red eyes and hear his daughter's gentle voice, calling out to his paternal instincts. For a brief moment, I felt sorry for him. If the situation with Arthur had been more or less clear, with Maya the opposite was true. What was going on, after all? A male spirit in a female body, how was that possible?

Maya stumbled. You could see that she was exhausted with the presence of the powerful controlling demon. The recent struggle had drained her. Unable to resist his parental instinct, Robert supported the girl.

"It's all right, princess," he mumbled. "I'm with you now."

"Robert, it's probably better if we take Maya to her room," Cesar said with badly concealed concern in his voice. "She needs to lie down."

"No, I don't!" Maya shuddered as if electrocuted. "Leave me alone! Get your hands off me!"

She wrestled herself free of her father's grip, but only to collapse into the embrace of the promptly arriving Cesar. He draped his arm around the girl's shoulders, supporting her.

We didn't expect what happened next. Wriggling in Cesar's arms, Maya turned to him, clinging to his lips in a passionate kiss. I gasped. Cesar struggled but she wouldn't let him go. Was the incubus trying to escape? Cesar was going to catch him now!

No, I realized, it's the incubus trying to take over Cesar's body.

I dashed toward him realizing I was already late.

Robert saved the situation without actually realizing it. He forced his daughter away from Cesar. For the first time I witnessed his face express a strong clear-cut emotion — that of uncontrollable animal fury. He was going to kill Cesar!

Risking my own neck, I wedged myself in between the two. "Robert, the incubus wanted to take over Cesar, can't you see? Switch on your brain now! Stop this good daddy nonsense!"

Gradually his face lost some of its crimson hue. I could see him trying to control himself. Apparently he'd heard me.

"I'll take her," he croaked, lifting the girl in his arms.

She was struggling in his clutches like a bird in a trap but to no avail. All of the demon's power wasn't enough to control Maya's weak body. She slackened, laying her head on her father's shoulder, allowing him to carry her away. As he walked past, she cast a pleading glance my way,

"Allison... please don't go."

There was no way I could tell whether it was Maya or the incubus trapped inside her pleading for help.

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