09

The feeling was intense pain in my head because it felt like so much was flooding in and yet an intensely pleasurable feeling like I was complete. I was living all these memories and feeling them as though they were mine. So much pain and yet so much joy was in these memories but she was untouched by all these memories. In the three hundred and eighty years that she had lived, she never had a lover. Not even Belial. I was stunned and that was putting it lightly.

‘Your highness! Harry! Are you alright?’ that was when I noticed that I was on the floor. Dela was holding my hands in hers and was kneeling with me. I was still heaving; her memories were too much. I began chuckling, ’I didn’t think you were that old, I’m dating a fossil.’ Her mouth dropped in disbelief.

‘I’ll have you know that this fossil can turn you into a frog and only my kiss will be able to turn you back,’ that genuinely scared me because I was hit with the knowledge that she never kisses frogs in her memories. She then winked at me and I visibly swallowed making her burst into a peal of obnoxious laughter. ‘Don’t worry, I like you and won’t turn you into one so don’t get your panties in such a twist.’

‘What was that though, why are you in my head? Why do I feel this way?’ I asked clutching my chest. Baby doll released a heavy sigh and turned to face the other side of the corridor.

‘That was a complex ritual to bind us together and I used the mate bond to seal the deal. It does have a hidden clause though where within a month if there is no consummation, we both go into heat and it gets more intense every time until we consummate the bond’

‘So much for taking our time’

‘Tell me about it.’ We then heard coughing from the other direction. We both turned our heads to see who it was. KAMI! We then rushed to him I held his head up as he tried to breathe in and sit up straight.

‘Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see you both but what am I doing here?’ I turned to look at Harry who was, in turn, looking at me.

‘You don’t remember anything?’ I asked.

‘Not in the slightest. The last thing I remember was tracking some herbs I was using for research in India.’

‘Kami, what was the date on that day?’ Harry asked him, his face growing grim.

‘On the 17th of November 2020, why?’ We both turned to each other and our faces fell grim.

‘Kami, today is the 5th of March 2021. Belial has been possessing you for 4 months. What has he been doing all that time?’

Kami's face paled as he realized the implications of what Harry had just told him. "Oh no, I've been possessed for four months? What did I do? Did I eat all the snacks? Did I forget to feed the cat? Did I post something embarrassing on social media?" He exclaimed, panicking.

Harry and Dela exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do next. "We know Belial is a powerful demon and he could have done a lot of damage in that time. We need to figure out what he's been doing and stop him before it's too late," Harry said, trying to sound serious.

Dela added "Yeah, like maybe he's been binging on Netflix and eating all the snacks in the house"

As they searched for clues, they stumbled upon an internet search about a woman named Tia Adler, who used to belong to a cult that worshipped Belial and was in turn possessed by him. "Look at this, Tia Adler, a former member of the Belial cult. We should check her out" Harry said, with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Kami sighed "Great, just what I needed, another cult. I hope they have better snacks than the last one"

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The drive to Tia Adler's house was a short one, but it was enough to notice the change of scenery as they entered a gated community in a suburban area. Tia lived in a good home, a spacious two-story brick house with a well-manicured lawn and a white picket fence. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, with large trees lining the streets and children playing on the sidewalks. Tia's house stood out among the others, with its large bay windows and a red front door that added a pop of color to the otherwise monochromatic exterior. As they pulled into the driveway, they couldn't help but admire Tia's beautiful home, it was clear that she had done well for herself.

As they approached the door, they couldn't help but wonder what Tia would be like, considering her past involvement in the cult. Tia, a middle-aged black woman, had been deeply involved in the cult that worshipped Belial but had managed to break free from his possession. When Tia opened the door, they were met with a surprised expression on her face. She immediately recognized Kami and began to call him the devil. "Get out of here! You're the devil! I won't let you into my house! " she exclaimed, trying to chase him away.

Kami held up his hands in surrender. "Please, Tia, I'm not possessed anymore. We're here to stop Belial and we need your help. And also I hope you have some snacks or something, I'm starving," he pleaded, smiling.

Tia crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? You expect me to believe that? Last time I saw you, you were trying to sacrifice me to Belial," she said, skeptical.

Kami chuckled nervously. "Well, technically I wasn't really in control of my actions then. But now, I'm all better and I promise I won't try to sacrifice you again. Unless you have some really good snacks, then all bets are off," he joked.

Tia couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Okay, fine. But don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you," she said, her expression softening as she looked into Kami's eyes. "Kami, is that you? I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I know you were under Belial's possession, but I've been through a lot and I can't just take things at face value," she said, her voice full of warmth and concern.

"I understand Tia, I would do the same in your shoes," Kami replied, with a sincere smile.

Tia nodded and continued, "But I believe that God has a plan for us all, even those possessed by demons. That's why I'm willing to hear you out and help if I can." She then gestured to the kitchen, "And yes, I have some snacks in the kitchen, help yourself." she said, allowing them into her house.

Once inside, Tia sat down with the trio and shared her experiences with the cult. "Belial was always using us for his gain. He would possess members of the cult and use them to further his power. It was like a never-ending cycle of manipulation and control," she explained.

Harry listened intently, as Kami was trying to sneak some snacks from the kitchen. "What about the sacrifices? We heard that Belial was sacrificing family members," he asked, with a mouthful of snacks.

Tia nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's true. He would sacrifice family members to gain even more power. It was a sick and twisted way of gaining control," she said, her voice shaking with emotion.

Dela couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We have to stop him. We can't let him continue to hurt people like this," she said, determination in her voice.

Tia then paused for a moment before she added, "But there's something else you should know. Belial has a powerful ally, someone who's helping him to gain more power."

Kami and Harry looked at each other, both with a sense of foreboding. "Who is it?" Harry asked.

Tia shook her head, "I'm not sure. But what I know is that this person is someone close to you. Someone you trust."

The trio sat there in silence, each of them thinking of who it could be. Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. Tia got up to answer it, and as she opened the door, they saw a figure standing on the other side. A figure they knew all too well.

"It can't be," Kami said under his breath.

"But it is," said the figure, revealing themselves.