Demon Read Free

Darlene with curious and slightly nervous expressions as she chanted under her breath and used the aromatic smoke to cleanse the apartment of negative energy.
    As Darlene worked, the silver bells on her ankle bracelet jingled in time with her graceful movements. It reminded Rebecca of watching her beautiful belly dances. The way she undulated her hips never seemed to lose its enchantment. Even in her simple black Bohemian skirt, with her abundance of raven hair cascading down her back in a blanket of curls, she still carried herself with an air of exotic regality. She looked magical, especially with the pleather of silver necklaces that dangled around her neck, each baring some symbol of witchcraft. In comparison, Rebecca’s own mother looked like the stereotype of a middle-aged housewife, complete with widened hips and a flowered dress that was a throwback from the nineties.
    “Nice place you got here.” Justyn’s stepfather Matt nodded his blond dreadlocks in approval as he studied the tiny two-room apartment. The kitchen and living room were merged into one room, with a counter nook in one corner. That left just enough space for a loveseat and small entertainment center that housed a television so old Rebecca was amazed it didn’t have rabbit ears. The bedroom wasn’t much bigger. Their landlord had barely managed to squeeze in a double bed and one tiny nightstand. The closet was little more than a crack in the wall. Still, it was cheap, larger than the average dorm room, and had no rules about co-eds intermingling. It was even within walking distance of the campus.
    “I got you a little housewarming gift,” Matt continued. “Actually, I got you two.” He winked a green eye at Rebecca as he handed Justyn a brown bag. “I didn’t wrap it. No reason to pollute the earth with unnecessary garbage.”
    Justyn rolled his eyes. “Of course not.”
    As he reached into the bottom of the bag, Rebecca heard something clinking. It made her curious. She moved in a little closer and peered over Justyn’s shoulder to get a better look. She watched him pull out a beautiful wind chime. It was made from a piece of dried driftwood, and dangling down from the thick base were a half dozen crystal points and a few brass bells, all woven together with copper wire. It sparkled as it caught the light from the open window, making a family of rainbows dance across the still barren walls.
    “It’s beautiful!” Rebecca exclaimed.
    “Made it myself. I even dug the crystals from a mine out in Arizona,” Matt declared proudly. “Back before I met Darlene, I spent ten years traveling with the Rainbow Gathering. That’s pretty much a bunch of hippies living off the land,” he explained when Rebecca’s family gave him a questioning glance. “I used to sell these things on street corners for thirty bucks a pop. Made it all the way cross country that way, when I wasn’t hitchhiking.”
    Rebecca felt her mouth drop open. Whenever she thought Justyn’s family had ceased to amaze her with their adventures, they shared some new story that left her astounded and even a little envious that her life wasn’t nearly as interesting. She often wondered how Justyn didn’t get bored with her.
    “Thanks, Matt.” Justyn gave this stepfather a comradely pat on the back. “Not just for this, but for everything. As far as stepparents go, you’ve been pretty decent.”
    “You’re welcome, kiddo. You know, I’m really gonna miss having you around. Of course, on the bright side, now I can walk around the house naked.”
    Rebecca saw her mother’s eyes widen. She was, after all, a strict conservative. Luckily, Darlene had just finished up her house blessing. She ran over and gave Matt a nudge with her shapely hips.
    “Matt, darling, there is such a thing as too much information. Now, why don’t you go carry some of those boxes into the bedroom for us, hmmm?”
    “Yes, dear.” Matt gave her a good-natured smile and smacked her butt on his way