Pisachas

Chapter Eight

"I promise," she whispered behind her clammy hand. Whether she kept that promise or not depended on his answer, she grimaced. His approach to the subject was scaring the crap out of her.

He must have heard her response, because he came towards the bed to rest on the edge. It was a rather large bed, but despite the spaciousness, it felt he was mere inches from where she lay.

"I'm a Pisachas." He held his hand up to stop her from asking anything else. "Before you ask what that is, let me tell you it was not by choice. It is my punishment in the afterlife for my sins as a human."

Gilia couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was dead? He was a walking dead man?

"I'm not a ghost or zombie if that is what you're thinking. My sins were cravings of the flesh." He paused a moment and took a breath. It seemed as though he struggled to find words how to explain. She knew he didn't have to, but something was forcing him to tell her his past. "When I was a man, I made a mistake like all humans do. There was this young, beautiful girl, around the age of six-and-ten, living not far from my lands. Apparently she'd had a fight with her parents and wandered off, ending up on my lands. It was dark and cold. I took her in for the night."

"Now you must understand this was different times. It wasn't unusual for a young woman of her age to marry and soon bare children."

He wiped his forehead and licked his lips. "It had been so long since I'd been with a woman, years in fact, and she was so ripe and a pretty little thing. I couldn't help myself. I made it clear I wanted her and she made it clear she didn't, but the urge to have her overwhelmed me. So, I took her anyways."

Gilia gasped, then quickly bit her lip. She knew all too well what it was liked to be forced against her will by this man. So, she understood exactly this girl's pain. Gilia's knees instinctively rose under the covers as she wrapped her arms around them protectively.

She waited patiently for him to continue, her breathing much more ragged. "I was disgusted with myself afterwards, but the deed had been done. The girl returned home destroyed. She wasn't the same and neither was I for that matter. But I was stubborn and refused to repent for my sin. I held my head high and acted like I was still the same man…up until the day the girl's parents—along with a posse from the nearest town—busted down my door and dragged me to the nearest tree. The noose they'd hung me with had snapped my neck instantly and that's when I woke up in…"

"Wait, they all just killed you on the spot? You didn't have a fair trial by the law?"

He shook his head, his wavy hair swinging with it, "No. Back then the law hadn't reached all parts of the country. What happened to me…I deserved."

Gilia shivered and as she watched the emotions play across his face. The fear and torment, "And…my punishment was to become a Pisachas because of what I did to that girl. Now I crave flesh all the time, everyday and I was never to be sated." His gaze changed when he looked at her, as if holding something back. She shivered.

"What do you mean, you can never be sated?" Gilia had an idea, but she wanted to be sure.

"I'm a form of incubi, Gilia. Not a vampire, like you hear about in your world now, but…I've been condemned with uncontrollable urges beyond any normal human understanding, of lust for mortal women. And no matter how hard I try I can't resist. So, I am forced to rape women at night and in their sleep, and I am unable to release."

"I am forced over and over to destroy and torment these women and then witnessing their grief afterwards."

His shoulders slumped and the man looked tired. He wasn't the strong, confident Sach, Gilia had come to know. Hell, Gilia was sure Sach wasn't even his real name, but then she thought he'd told her that once before. "What was your name?"

He laughed humorlessly and glanced up, "Out of everything I've told you about me, you want to know that?"

Sach shook his head at her, "My human name was Nathaniel, but I don't really have one now."

"Oh," was all she could say. Gilia was pretty sure he wouldn't like it if she started calling him by his human name, so she decided to just stick with Sach.

"Can I ask you something else?" she started hesitantly. There had been a more complicated question Gilia wanted to ask, but she had been stalling in fear of what he'd say…or do.

He chewed his lip before answering, "Sure."

"If you can't resist, you know…having sex…than how come you've been able to resist me? Not that I'm complaining or anything."

The mixed expressions of disappointment and desire burned behind Sach's eyes. "I haven't been able to," he stated bluntly. "I was trying to be nice by giving you time to adjust. And I was made to force my lust upon some other innocent female in your world."

Oh, God! Some poor girl had been stalked and raped, because of her? If Gilia had just been more willing… She tried to swallow the knot of guilt rising in her throat. How could she have been so selfish?

Her mind buzzed how to comprehend this and even thoughts of preventing him the crime again. Maybe she should just start giving herself to Sach, if it would spare others the same anguish she'd experienced by his hand. Was she brave enough for that?

There was one way to find out. Gilia ignored her shaking hands as she crawled closer to Sach, who'd stiffen from her actions. He watched her every move rigorously. There was something else Gilia needed to say. If there was one thing she could do to keep his hunger appeased, she'd have to grit her teeth and sacrifice herself. It was the only way.

"Sach," she said, clearing her dry throat. Gilia sat next to him almost touching his leg with her own. "Please don't rape anyone else. I-I won't fight you anymore."

Gripping a hold of her fear, Gilia leaned forward slightly; brushing her lips against his so feebly it was like a sunflower petal had grazed them instead. He'd kept his eyes open the whole time and as she pulled her head away, Sach's hands suddenly grasped her arms in a restraining hold. She gasped, stunned by the throbbing his fingers caused. Her shoulders were scrunched, mashing the tips of her ears against her neck. It was so incredibly firm, Gilia was afraid there'd be bruises later.

The daggers of desire radiating from him shot up her arms and sliced right into her chest making it tingle and burn. One desperate, sizzling look from Sach had her stomach turning back flips like a Ringling Brother, making her slightly shrink away. He held her gaze for more than a dozen heartbeats before some of the sizzle faded.

"You'd sacrifice yourself for the good of womankind?" He released her shoulders before she could answer, pushing her away.

"Don't toy with me, Gilia. I see your trepidation plan as the fire light dancing on your velvety skin. If I was to take you now it wouldn't be consensual."

Gilia braced her hands on the bed sheets, pushing herself back to a sitting position. She swallowed hard before whispering, "Is that what's holding you back? You want my consent?"

At first he wouldn't respond; swiftly moving from the bed to stand in front of the fire watching it dance around in the stone cove. A log shifted sending sparks, crackling into the air above. And then he said something that made Gilia's chest ache in a bizarre manner she hadn't felt before, "Is it so much to hope for, Gilia. To actually be wanted in return. I made a mistake once, but I don't take by choice now and if I could I'd kill myself to rid all those women the pain I've caused…I would, but that's just not possible."

He'd left her flabbergasted. There was so much more to Sach than she'd ever imagined. All the regrets of his past and torment. Gilia wouldn't be able to live with herself if the situation had been reversed.

"I'm sorry," she said looking down picking at the material on a pillow.

He faced her looking unsure whether to cross the room and take her in his arms or just stay put. For a moment, Gilia almost wanted him to come to her, but mentally shook herself. It was so confusing. She couldn't feel bad for him, for the man who raped her and took her innocence. No, she wouldn't. Her head was screaming no, this is wrong, but her heart was leaping from her chest to go to him herself. Damn it. Why was she so messed up? This whole situation was messed up.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me," Sach said suddenly. "I know what I did to you was traumatizing. You have every right to hate me."

"I don't hate you." Gilia parted her lips to gasp faintly at the truth she felt in her own words. She didn't hate Sach like she had before. Gilia feared him; feared everything he did, but the hate had faded from her mind to an understanding. She was a compassionate human being and couldn't help but sympathize…for him and those other women.

"Sach…?"

He strolled gracefully towards her, his bare chest of muscles shifting slightly as he walked. The movement was unlike anything she'd ever seen. He was so masculine and there was something primal about his movements Gilia hadn't noticed before. She'd spent all her time avoiding him; this was completely new to her. She licked her lips, "If I give you my consent…"

"No, little one. You would only give it to me now to save those other women. I made it clear I don't want a sacrificial lamb for my companion.

"But what about those girls? Sach, you can't keep raping them!"

"If I did stop, it would not be good for you Gilia. I'd lose control around you and force you to bed me. My control is thin as it is. I'm afraid it would be horrific if I was to refrain."

Gilia just couldn't take the thought of all those girls hurt. In comparison, her own well-being seemed superfluous, "I-I will chance it. You m-mustn't rape another woman."

Sach ran his hand over his head and massaged his neck, "Look at you! You're shaking just thinking about it now! You've only seen a sample of my true inner beast, Gilia."

"If you think what I did to you was the worst I can do…you've no clue what you're getting into."

"Well, if you think I'm j-just going to sit in your little prison, waiting for you to rape other women and then come back to frighten me and possibly rape me too; you've no idea what I'm capable of. I'd no sooner jump in your black waters!"

A spark of anger forced Sach to snatch her up by the arms again, bringing her face close to his own. "You will do no such thing! I forbid it!"

"Ha! You forbid it! What are you, my father?" It was probably not a good idea to goad Sach, but her temper was firing hot just as his was.

"No, I'm your companion and soon to be lover."

Her lips parted in bewilderment. Had she heard him right?

"Yes, that's correct. You'll be my lover and you will not cringe away from me." He'd lost his considerate self to be replaced with the overbearing, dangerous man she'd seen in him first. His eyes were like hard glaciers, while his brow furrowed. "You'll moan from my touch and plead to be taken and pleasured beyond anything you've ever felt before! And I'll be happy to oblige."

Sach tossed her down onto the bed, making her slide across almost falling off the other side. He was so strong, it was startling. Gilia sat up rubbing the ache in her arms from being grabbed twice now and watched Sach's fleeting back storm from the room.

For some reason, Gilia had the sense she shouldn't have provoked him the way she did. Sach was a pissed off incubus and what he was capable of was worthy of horrified screams. And another thing, Gilia was sick to her stomach making Sach rush out of the room in anger over and over from things she'd said. His tolerance for her would soon run out. She was sure of it. And when it did…Gilia gulped.