Chapter 36: Heat of the Demon

They entered a huge cavern, enormous but scorching hot. Chrysta immediately recognized this cavern, she had dreamt of it. They walked onto the warm ruby red sand, sugary and fine. The walls were of glossy black marble and in the middle of the chamber there was a large pond which formed into a twisting river leading into a dark hole. The water was inky black and Chrysta felt fear grip her as she remembered in her dream as something had reached towards her. Chrysta's eyes darted to the small black-wooden dock where there were a few longboats tied. She turned to see how many people there were, they had started with about thirty and now there were only about fifteen. They had diminished by half; luckily it had been most of Melinda's men that had been lost.

"Don't touch the water Jack…don't go near it," Chrysta murmured into his ear, he nodded not even asking questions. He knew that this was a dangerous place, just by the looks of it.

There was a loud resounding splash followed by another, before it quieted down in the dark dangerous waters.

"What was that?" Melinda demanded fearfully, her dark eyes wide with fear.

"I'm not sure," Chrysta said.

"How can you not witch?" Melinda snarled her eyes widening.

"I never made the obstacles and I cannot have visions when I want to, but if you want we can figure out what it is…by throwing you in," Chrysta said seriously.

Melinda sputtered indignantly and then huffed before she clamped her mouth shut and stared daggers at the sorceress.

"Come on, we can't stand here all day," Chrysta said as she started walking down towards the dock. She climbed into the dock, peering into the water at a safe distance, seeing her reflection in the dark water. She felt Jack stiffen and she couldn't blame him as he caught sight of his own reflection, after going through hell in the other chamber it was understandable they feared their own reflections. She was expecting for her reflection to shoot out of the water and strangle them, but was glad it didn't although it still made her uneasy.

There were five people to a longboat; Chrysta, Jack, Wilfred, Jenna and Davis stayed together in one. Jack and Chrysta started to row. As they rowed towards the dark river, Jenna let out a shriek.

"What is it?" Chrysta asked sharply, looking towards the water where Jenna's eyes were piercing.

"There's something in the water!"

"Well I think we knew that already," drawled Jack, fear fluttering through his dark orbs.

"Yes but we don't know what," Davis muttered, his back rigid with fear.

Chrysta looked into the glassy black water, her reflection rippled by waves that the longboat produced as it glided on. As the longboat slowly glided further away from the dock, the room seemed to become more stifling. It was oppressive and sweat ran down their brows and backs.

The sorceress felt faint from the heat and as she looked around she could tell the rest of them felt the same. Chrysta noticed how all their eyes were entranced by the dark water that surrounded them. She looked at the inviting water, begging her to go in. It beckoned to her, the darkness reminding her of the dark magic she was a part of. It called to her…telling her to at least take a sip…making her realize she was also incredibly thirsty…

SPLASH!

Chrysta's mind unfurled from the hazy fog as she looked at where the water had been disturbed, panic gripping her suddenly. She looked around her boat and saw all their horrified faces…Jack's, Wilfred's and Davis's…but where was Jenna?

Jenna's head bobbed up as yet another resounding splash sounded, this time from Melinda's boat…an unnamed man. Jenna sighed blissfully and a part of Chrysta had the urge to join her. The urge though, vanished as a white, scaly tale flung into the air at her left and submerged once again in a whip-like motion, propelling the upper part of what looked like a human being.

"Mermaids!" Wilfred exclaimed. Chrysta blanched, knowing this didn't mean anything good. More white dead looking mermaids darted towards Jenna, their glowing red eyes squinting up at the horrified spectators on the longboats.

Chrysta stood up without thinking, and reached a hand into the water. A white, clammy-webbed hand rose from the depths slowly and almost curiously grasped her wrist lightly. Jack's eyes were wide as he started to move towards Chrysta to pull her back.

The hand on her wrist tugged gently, invitingly before a creature rose. It was beautifully ethereal in a way, its face pinched in with sallow cheeks, they were gaunt looking and incredibly pale with long hair cascading wetly down it's back looking like liquefied silver. Red protuberant eyes peered at Chrysta with sincere curiosity but in its depths their was undeniable maliciousness; a maliciousness she could easily relate to herself.

Chrysta's attention went to Jenna who had shrieked and she saw her being pulled down into the water by another mermaid, the pale tale swishing back into the black inky water. She meant to dive off the boat, but the other mermaid stopped her by hissing. Chrysta snarled back and dove off the other side.

The ink water cooled her heated skin, feeling heavenly after the stifling heat. Chrysta let herself sink before she opened her eyes; but sight was nothing. She was in the dark and she was blind. She suddenly felt a numbing pain stab through her calf and she exhaled sharply, making invisible air bubbles escape her lips. She looked down blindly and was taken aback by a pair of glowing red eyes looking at her, the eyes illuminating a pinched face, flowing silvery hair and a row of pointed teeth which were shown through a sinister smile.

Chrysta kicked away from it, feeling the warmth of blood leave her wound. She broke the surface, gulping in air and she heard herself wail in pain as her calf burned unbearably. The pain was so intense that she flailed her arms frantically to stay afloat, her leg unable to move.

The painful numbness seemed to eat up her leg, continuing to her hips, spreading to her other leg and then working its way upward…Chrysta realizing that the thing that bit her must have carried a poison in its sharp bullet-like teeth.

She heard somebody shriek in pain and she cracked her eyes open seeing Jenna's pretty face contorted in agony. Chrysta fought her own pain, swallowing the cries that bubbled up her throat, the numbness now in her arms. She heard many yells of pain and horror, the inky lake suddenly angry…powerful waves sweeping into her and knocking against the boats; a fishy white morbid tale seen at random in between the rocking waves. She felt someone grab her from behind, Jack was there telling her to speak to him…to say anything but she couldn't. Words couldn't form in her now numb lips and her vision started to blur around the edges.

Chrysta clenched her eyes tightly, willing herself to move…to breath. She gasped as she tried to fight against the poison that spread through her veins…but her will power was not strong enough…she needed something more powerful, stronger and darker. Forgetting what she carried in her womb, forgetting the pain that spread through her body, and forgetting herself she felt the demon within her stir. She felt the dark magic running freely through her veins again, no walls against its power anymore. Power beyond power ran wildly through every muscle, vein and nerve in her lean body. Enveloping the poison and drowning it. She opened her eyes again, this time not the pale eyes that were hers but the demon's and Jack saw it.

"Chrysta! Chrys!" Jack yelled fiercely at her grabbing her face in his hands, rubbing his thumb on her lower lip. His lips were in what looked like a silent snarl; his eyes heated with hatred but not for her but for the creature that now ran through her dominantly. She ripped herself away from him, her eyes heated with demon but yet cold like ice. Her body flared with what seemed like fire and she felt her wounds and torn skin repair themselves.

Jack witnessed how her bruise disappeared on her face and all the little cuts flecked on her body, as he treaded the dark ink. He felt something cold grab his ankle and drag him down, before taking a lungful of air. As he was pulled under he was rendered blind, the water was black and nothing could be seen at all; it was like actual ink.

His air supply started to run out and he felt a flare of heat near him. The creature let go of his ankle and he kicked up to the surface, waiting was Chrysta on the longboat. A roguish smile on her face as she held out her hand to him, he accepted it as he watched her darkened eyes. They weren't hers completely but she was still there, he saw Jenna shaking like a leaf being comforted by Wilfred and compared to the strong unshaken Chrysta she looked rather pathetic even though she had the right to feel that way. Jack shook his head; he was too used to Chrysta's strong and cold personality.

"Keep the boat moving," she ordered as she took an oar herself, "Your urges to jump in will grow, but ignore them. These mermaids will get more vicious and they are extremely poisonous. Anybody who jumps will not be saved and I mean it."

They all nodded their heads; their eyes wide with fear because they knew the sorceress meant business. Chrysta was correct about the urge to jump into the now calm waters, an occasion and restless splash could be heard far in the distance behind them or in front coming from the deep. Unfortunately they heard a couple of splashes resounding in the large cavern as most of Melinda's men jumped in. Their screams of pain followed shortly and Chrysta ignored it without guilt but instead with a hint of a malicious smile.

Jenna who stayed as far away from the water as was possible with her eyes closed tightly. Chrysta heard her half-sister muttering to herself, telling herself it would be okay and that it was almost over. Chrysta could tell Jack, Davis and Wilfred felt pity for her but she couldn't bring herself to. The dislike between them was still there no matter their truce.

"Jenna get a hold of yourself will you?" Chrysta snapped coldly. Her grey eyes turned to the blonde girl who jumped. Chrysta let a humorless dry laugh out and Jack was immediately reminded of the Chrysta he had met weeks ago. He realized how much she had changed since then, how much she had strayed from the dark arts. Now that she was in again he couldn't help but feel like snatching her away from it and keeping her away from the damned demon.

"I- I'm scared," Jenna admitted shakily as she trembled. Chrysta hissed at the pathetic girl and stood up abruptly swinging the oar over her shoulder, making her look almost like a cruel warrior. Jenna looked at her terrified and Wilfred stood up to.

"Leave her sorceress," he said seriously and threateningly.

"I don't take orders from you or anybody-"

"Then why do you listen to Melinda?"

"I have my reasons," Chrysta snarled, Jack and Davis were getting unnerved by her sudden change in attitude. A cold indifferent violence was rippling in her dark grey orbs.

Relentless and restless, like a caged animal, the demon flashed through her eyes aggressively.

"Chrysta, relax-" Davis started.

"Relax? Are you telling me what to do too?" Chrysta sneered coolly.

"You aren't right, fight the demon off," Jack said quietly but firmly. Seriousness bolted through his dark chocolate eyes, hardening them.

Chrysta's eyes widened, she was aware that the demon had entered her again but it wasn't inside her anymore. She was conscious of her actions and words; they were all fuelled by her anger, anxiety and impatience. If they saw darkness in her eyes then that was all her and not the demon's. She was stronger than that right now and she would only summon it when she chose to.

"I don't have it. It's all me Jack," Chrysta said in a wintry tone, yet there was a callous humor dancing in her eyes. They shifted uncomfortably as she sat back down smirking. They continued to move on, and soon they had entered a thin ribbon of a dark tunnel. They couldn't see ahead as they continued to move forward.

Jack noticed that a current was flowing stronger in the dark waters, pushing them forward at a rapid speed. The pirate quirked an eyebrow, as the rushing of water became more clear and violent…then realization dawned on him…

"Waterfall," he said horrified and gulped. Chrysta turned to him with wide eyes and threw herself at him as they felt the longboat tip over. He grabbed onto her as she grabbed onto him. He buried his face at the crook of her neck, her dark feminine scent overwhelming and making the adrenaline gush through him as he felt them fall forward; the boat no longer under them and the roar of the waterfall was suddenly deafening in their ears as they felt themselves fall together.

A/N: It's been months since I've updated! I know you probably all hate me right now but please forgive me. Things have been beyond hectic in my life right now and so much has gone wrong for me. I'm coping with it and I hope you understand that sometimes there are difficult setbacks in life that make us stray from certain things. I want to thank everyone for their patience though, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

The next one will be put up before the week ends! I'm back on track and I mean it this time. Plus there's not a lot left for this story.

Also, a BIG thank you to all my reviewers! 3

-Ana

…and here is your preview ladies and gentlemen!

Preview for Next Chapter

Jack chuckled beside her, "Pirates to the core."

"Aren't you going to join them in their worship?"

"I hardly think it would be appropriate, because my worshiping kisses would be performed on you and not on the gold," Jack murmured huskily as he leaned down to place a soft kiss to her cheek. Chrysta cursed herself as she felt her cheeks flood with color.

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