Chapter 44

Jace closed his eyes to focus on the battle within. Zebedaios was gripping and stretching into all aspects of his mind, corrupting. The pain was like the worst headache Jace had ever had. It seemed the demon was sifting through his memories, searching for something.

It looked through all of his relationships. All of them had failed, though the more recent ones had been the most dramatic.

Again and Again the demon looked over the memory of the sensation of stabbing Momoka with the sword. The feeling of the blade slipping between her bones, sliding into muscle, through organs. Jace shivered and felt nauseous, wishing that memory had faded but it was so completely fresh.

It was maddening how realistic it was as it played over and over within his mind.

He knew he had done the right thing in stopping Momoka yet it didn’t make stabbing Momoka any less difficult. As the memory kept repeating he instead tried to focus on Nikita. He wasn’t exactly focused on her during the moment yet she was there in the corner of his vision. She was pinned under the wolf, her eyes glowing a bright blue. Ready to shoot a fatal shot of light into Momoka’s throat. The look of confusion, anger and most importantly fear. Nikita was scared of what the werewolf might do to her and scared of what it would mean to kill Momoka. She was in the process of making an impossible choice. Over and over again.

His relationship with her would be forever affected by that moment. If she could ever forgive him it would only serve to make the relationship more strained. To be punished so severely for a mistake that she had nothing to do with. Jace needed to be more careful in the future, all of his relationships could harm her as well and it was worth taking into consideration.

The demon pushed further and deeper into his memories pulling up the time Nikita had kissed him. They were at a costume party and Nikita had just had an awful conversation with Tati. Tati was a Phoenix, deep brown chocolate hair that was always perfectly wavy mermaid hair. She was beautiful and dressed as a maid in a cute little black and white dress. Yet the jealousy had set in thick and she had taken it out on Nikita. Nikita, dressed as a nurse, walked over to Jace. A mischievous smile on her face. Jace had expected her to look angry but she didn’t look slightly bothered. Perhaps because she had finally found a way to put a stop to Tati. With a vice grip she grabbed Jace’s shoulders and pulled him close. She kissed him so suddenly. It wasn’t for very long but that was what repeated as Zebedaios or whatever it was that took control of his mind. He was so shocked and confused when it happened. Nikita’s eyes were closed as her glossy lips met his. The moment seemed to last forever in Jace’s mind, as if to torment him though he found it far better than stabbing Momoka as now he understood Nikita’s reasoning behind it.

The demon moved on, showing his other break ups. One girl was so completely obsessed with him, he caught her rifling through his important documents. She was proud of herself but Jace was mortified.

The next girl was just jealous. She was the first to be cruel to Nikita because of the curse. Nikita and Jace himself had then understood the curse. Scared of it Jace ended the relationship then and there.

Perhaps his first abrupt reaction to be the best.

Jace tried to push back against the memories that were being dug up and the demon forcing its way deeper into his mind. It was so powerful Jace knew it wouldn’t take long for him to be fully possessed.

It looked through his desires and laughed. A voice echoed over his mind. Not Zebedaios, something distorted and pure evil.
Prince Jace, why do you ever try? You will be alone forever, trapped in by this curse. The only person who will ever be there for you hates you because of the torment you have put her through.

Romance?

You don’t deserve that. What do you think will happen? The curse has not been broken. All of your family can confirm this so why are you even trying. This foolish dream is selfish. You have ruined lives and tormented people for your own satisfaction. How long did it even last anyway?

You're going to be lonely for the rest of your life as this is the dream you reach toward.

Jace’s heart broke. He knew the demon was just trying to upset him yet he knew how true it was and with the recent horrible break up it hurt even more.

His fight let up and the demon kept further in. After all what was the point? His family were doomed and he would never have his dream romance, he would be alone forever because of the curse, and it should stay that way. Outside of his mind he had curled up into a ball on the floor, hugging his knees.

Small and constricted, another voice whispered in his mind.

Don’t give into them. It’s not demons, it’s myth hunters. If you let them kill you it will destroy your family line.

It was Zebedaios’ voice, soft but there in his mind. The Myth Hunters are controlling the demons, Jace thought, knowing Zebedaios would be able to hear his thoughts.

Yes I don’t know how they are doing it but they have taken control of me, using me as a weapon against you. I’m trying to fight them.

Jace didn’t know what to think of it but it gave him hope that there might be a way out of this. He started to fight back with renewed strength. His soul had the power of the sun in it so surely he could beat a demon.