As soon as he shut the door behind him, though, the chaos began. “Please take your seats!” he shouted. If they heard, they ignored him. And he was quite sure that losing his temper and yelling would only make it worse. So, he turned to the chalkboard and started writing out the day’s lesson plan. 

A sharp pain at the back of his head stopped him short. His hand immediately moved to the spot, and his knees went weak when he felt something hot and wet. Almost afraid to look, he moved his hand to his side and glanced quickly down. And confirmed his own worst fear - his palm was covered in blood.

That fucking hurt! Let me out! Time for these little shits to learn a lesson ….

“Calm down, Ryka,” Kyle muttered, slowly turning to face the class. In doing so, he kicked a large and blood-stained rock. “Who threw that?” he asked. It didn’t come as a surprise that no one confessed. “Everyone, sit down and shut up!”

For the first time since he’d started teaching, Kyle realized he was losing his temper. And he found he really didn’t care. Especially not when it seemed to work. Most of the kids sat down, even though they were still laughing at him. “I’ll ask again: who threw that?”

“Threw what?” Nick asked, looking smug.

“You know what.”

He did it, Ryka informed him. I can see his sins. There are already so many.

“Was it you, Nick?”

“You can’t blame me without proof. I’ll tell my parents, they’ll tell the principal, and you’ll get fired.”

“We should tell the principal ourselves,” one of the other boys said. “Showing up to class hungover. That’s bullshit.” The rest of the class seemed to agree. 

Why don’t you take a break and let me handle this, Master.

It was a tempting offer, but Kyle was determined to handle the uprising himself. At least until he saw Nick reach into his backpack and pull out another rock. Then his stomach knotted up. They really meant to hurt him.

Trying not to let his fear show, Kyle told the class, “I really don’t understand. I give extra credit and there’s not much homework. What do I do wrong?”

Oh, I know this one. The demon’s input was unappreciated, but unavoidable. You’re a pushover. They think you’re weak. So they take advantage. Nevermind that the girls don’t like that you ignore them,  and the boys are pissed that the girls drool over you. Well, except for one - you just make that one confused. This, all in the time it took Kyle to blink once. 

But his students had an answer for him as well. “Everything,” Tommy jeered. “What a pussy. I think he’s going to cry.”

Kyle thought he might, too. Feeling completely defeated, he hung his head and told the class, “Fine. I quit. Enjoy your substitute. I’m sure he’ll have better luck than I did.”

The whole class erupted into a cheer. He had heard them say again and again that they wished he would have a breakdown and leave so they could have a sub for the rest of the year. What the hell are you doing? Don’t let them win!

“I’m not. They’re all yours, Ryka. Please, just try not to get too carried away.”

From the back of the room, Kyle heard one of the girls laugh. “Oh my God, he’s talking to himself. What a weirdo.”

All talk stopped, though, when Kyle started unbuttoning his shirt. At least for a moment. “And he’s a pedo, too! Gross!” This time, there was no response to Nick’s comment. The rest of the class was too busy watching as Kyle folded his shirt, set it on his desk then put his glasses on the garment, acts he did with a frighteningly steady hand. It was the calm of someone who had been pushed just a little too far.

Feeling twenty pairs of eyes on him almost made him lose his nerve. For a brief, terrifying moment, he was afraid he’d forgotten the words. But then he heard them coming out of his mouth, as easily as if he used them every day. “Ryka, servant of the Great Kingdom of Hell, your host and master calls you forth.”

The inhuman growl that followed those words started from somewhere far outside his physical body. It was all fire and brimstone, a sound straight from the bowels of Hell. It was Ryka’s true voice. Still growling, Kyle/Ryka fell to his hands and knees. Never had the transformation happened so quickly. To Kyle, it seemed that not even a second had passed before Ryka stood before a room full of cowering children. 

Smiling broadly enough to show off his pointed teeth, Ryka stretched his wings. Like an irritated cat, he flicked the tip of his tail back and forth, eyeing his master’s students with obvious disdain. And they stared back with wide eyes. Their regret for taunting their teacher was written on their faces, and Ryka was glad to see it there. Even better was the taste.

“Worthless, ungrateful mortal scum! How dare you disrespect us!” It pleased Ryka to see that most of the children started crying as soon as he spoke. His senses were much sharper than Kyle’s, and the heady smell of fear permeated the entire room. He wanted to be drunk on it, and he knew how to make it even more potent. 

Really, Kyle had no idea what his parasite was capable of. At home, there was no need for Ryka to demonstrate his abilities. So, yes, Kyle knew the demon could make fire - the first time he’d bought Ryka cigarettes, he’d unthinkingly purchased a lighter as well. It sat, unused, in a drawer. When Ryka needed a light, the smallest of flames would pop up on his fingertip. Never had Kyle stopped to consider that same trick on a bigger scale. Or that it could be used as a threat, something to intimidate his prey, wring more fear from them. As he was doing now.

Teeth bared, Ryka stretched out his arms, turning his hands palm up. Blood-red flame danced there, reflecting in eyes that burned with their own inner fire. His grin spread, and so did the flame, leaping between his spread fingers, crawling down his forearms. The fire alarm managed one choked wail before going unnervingly silent.

And with only a glance, he was able to lock the door and windows, and turn off the lights. The shadow that stretched out behind him leered at the helpless students with eyes like burning coals and beckoned for them to follow it to their dooms with long, clawed fingers.

Eyes closed in bliss, Ryka stood, drinking in their terror. He was starting to get excited. If Kyle could have interjected, there was no doubt he would have started lecturing him. But too many years had gone by since he’d been surrounded by such delicious anxiety and regret. He really couldn’t help himself.

So, of course, his ecstasy was interrupted. “Back in your seat, maggot!” he shouted, leveling a paralyzing glare at the brave - or stupid - young man who had thought to make for the exit. Trembling, he froze halfway out of his seat. “I said sit!” The boy collapsed back into his chair just in time to hide the wet stain spreading across the front of his jeans.

“Please don’t kill us,” one girl pleaded, sobbing.

“Then listen up.” Ryka closed his fists, extinguishing the flames. Smoke coiled out from between his fingers. “Stop fucking with my Master. For reasons I can’t fathom, he likes you disgusting little beasts. He bends over backwards for you, and you treat him like shit. That ends today. From now on, you fuck with him, you fuck with me. I’m his eyes and ears, so I’ll know exactly what you’re all up to. And if you screw up, I’ll tear your vile human souls, kicking and screaming, from your puny bodies and drag them straight to Hell. It’s been a few years since I was last home, but believe me, I haven’t forgotten the way.” Behind Ryka, his shadow laughed. Flames licked at its jaws, though they were almost obscured by the shimmer of intense heat that accompanied them.

“So, now you have a choice. Learn some respect, and do your fucking homework, or suffer eternal damnation. Even with your inferior intellect, it shouldn’t really be a tough choice. Oh, and if any of this leaves this room, it’s the same deal. Straight to Hell. I don’t have a conscience, so don’t think I won’t do it. And gladly.”

Ryka had been alive a long time, and couldn’t remember ever having so much fun. Unable to hide his malicious grin, he leaned in close to a boy in the front row, Andrew, who he knew had tripped Kyle once. “Hey, you little shit. You kicked your backpack out under my Master’s feet once, didn’t you? You wanted to see him get hurt.” 

Andrew’s brain screamed at him to lie, but his body wouldn’t let him. There was no way to deceive the demon. Andrew couldn’t stop himself from nodding. “If you ever try something like that again, if you even think about it, I’ll really make you spill your guts.” To help demonstrate, Ryka let his claws grow out and raked them across the top of the boy’s desk, leaving gouges a half an inch deep. “How do you think you’d hold up, hmm? Look at me.” When Andrew tried to look away, Ryka placed a finger under his chin and turned his head. Eyes wide, Andrew jumped away and put his hands up to his throat. One came away bloody, and he screamed.

“And you,” Ryka hissed, turning on Nick, who was trying to slide under his desk. Ryka grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him back upright. “Do you think I owe you any mercy? You certainly weren’t going to show any.” Reaching down, Ryka picked up the rock Nick had been preparing to throw at Kyle. “I’ll give you a better chance than you gave my Master. You might want to duck.” Ryka took a few steps back, obviously preparing to lob the rock at Nick. 

Somehow, Nick managed to duck in time, though by the breeze he felt, he knew he’d barely made it. The heater behind him wasn’t so lucky. Glancing over his shoulder, Nick saw the rock embedded deep in the metal casing. “I won’t miss next time,” Ryka assured him, and Nick knew he hadn’t really missed this time, either.   

By that point, all the children were openly wailing. A quick glance showed him that two had even fainted. From what he could smell, several had wet themselves. “Pathetic,” he murmured. Directing his attention inward, he asked, “Have I done well, Master?”

Um, yes. And you even managed to keep our pants on. I’m so proud.

“Thank you, Master. Then I’ll leave them to you.”

Usually, they were both already asleep when Ryka retreated. The sensation of Ryka’s wings, horns and tail being absorbed back into his body was disturbing. And draining. He was sure he was only unconscious a few moments, but it felt like much longer.

Groaning, he pushed himself off the linoleum floor and looked up into the tear-stained faces of his first-period History class. 

“W-what was that?” Tommy whispered, only risking a moment’s eye contact with his teacher.

“A demon. His name’s Ryka. We share my body.” It was exhausting just to say that much.

“Did he mean those things he said?”

After a brief struggle to get to his feet, Kyle leaned against his desk. Before answering, he put his glasses and shirt back on. It felt wrong to be standing half-dressed and mostly blind in front of the class. “He can see, hear and feel everything I do, and then some. And at night, I don’t really have much control over him, so he can do whatever he wants.”

None of them spoke, but most whimpered or sniffled. 

He looked around at the children and was overwhelmed with guilt. What had he just loosed on them? “If any of you need to go to the nurse, take a pass out of my desk and just go. The rest of you, I’ll be right back.” He only just made it to the bathroom before throwing up. He hated being sick, but it was the least he deserved for what he’d done. He only hoped his guilt was a fitting dessert for Ryka.

“Ryka?” But there was no answer, save for quiet snoring. “Lazy demon.”

No matter how many times Kyle rinsed his mouth, he couldn’t seem to get rid of the taste of vomit, so he gave up and headed back to his classroom. And he thought he might faint again when he walked in to find all twenty children seated calmly at their desks, textbooks and notebooks open and pencils ready. 

It was a sight he had been waiting to see since the school year had begun two months earlier. The guilt wouldn’t let him take advantage of it, though. “Come get your essays. I can’t teach right now.” Not one of them was brave enough to approach his desk. “I won’t bite,” he assured them.

“Is he gone?” Mackenzie asked, so quietly he could hardly make out her question.

“You won’t let him back out, will you?” Andrew added.

Before he could stop himself, Kyle grinned, one of Ryka’s signature wicked grins, no less, and told them, “He’s never gone. And I’m not planning on letting him out, but ….” Nervously, but with great speed, every last one of the children lined up in front of his desk to wait for their essays, and each and every one of them begged for their teacher’s forgiveness as they passed. 

***

Although he hadn’t made it through a whole day with so little resistance from his students in years, Kyle was still glad when the final bell rang. He had felt Ryka wake up during last period, but the demon had kept quiet. There was little doubt he was observing the class, waiting for a chance to point out a sinner whose soul he could take. 

Still exhausted from Ryka’s exertions, Kyle sat in his car, waiting for the buses to leave. So much had happened since he’d arrived at school that morning. He was overwhelmed. 

It seemed that word had spread quickly that it wasn’t a good idea to push Mr. Saunders too far. Hearing that had made Kyle feel sick, but the negative had quickly been forgotten when he overheard Nick say at lunch that he thought Mr. Saunders was possibly the best teacher in school. 

“And he is really hot,” one girl had added, giggling and blushing.

You are pretty fucking sexy, stud. Let me out to play; I want to touch you.

“Not in the car.”

Oh, so I can touch you. Just not in the car.

“It’s your body then, not mine.”

It’s still yours, too. And I really do think we could figure something out to - 

“This conversation needs to end now.” He was amazed that Ryka actually let the discussion drop. “I suppose I owe you, though, for helping me out today.”

His mind’s eye saw the demon’s wicked smile. I’ll say.

“So, what’ll it be? Liquor? Cigars? I can’t really afford a hooker, but ….”

Hmm. Tempting offers, all of them. But I have a better idea.

“I’m not sure I want to know.”

The smile he could see now was one he remembered from years earlier. A gallon of Rocky Road for me and a gallon of mint chocolate chip for you. And a big fucking spoon.

“Oh, Ryka. I really do like you an awful lot.”

And I absolutely love you, Master. Now, how about that ice cream?