With his face bruised and swollen from the midnight attack, Kyle had considered calling in sick. He had hoped a cold shower would help with the swelling, but it really hadn’t. When he checked his reflection in the rearview mirror upon arriving at school, what he saw made him cringe. His left eye was almost completely swollen shut, his jaw wasn’t in much better shape, and the rest face was a sick green color. At least no one would be able to see his stomach, which was mottled purple and black. None of his teeth had fallen out, but it hurt to breathe, though not as much as he’d imagined it should have.

Knowing that Ryka was still angry with him, he tried begging for some help. “Is there anything you can do, Ryka? At least some of the swelling? So I can see ….”

No, was the curt reply, followed by an unsettling, it’s evidence.

Somehow, Kyle made it through the crowded halls without anyone noticing his injuries. But he couldn’t teach a class with his head down and his jacket collar pulled up over most of his face. “Good morning, everyone,” he mumbled, the best he could do with a bruised jaw.    

“Holy shit, Mr. Saunders, what happened to your face?” 

“Language, Nick. Um, I had an accident.”

“That looks really bad. Maybe you should go to the hospital.”

“Was it a car accident?”

“It looks like someone tried to kick your ass.”

Kyle shook his head, but couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in a month, they were talking to him like he was a regular human being, not some half-demon monster. It had taken getting a beating to convince them that he wasn’t something to be scared of. And it warmed his heart to hear honest concern in their voices. Maybe they didn’t hate him as much as he’d thought.

“Really, it’s fine. It looks bad, but I heal pretty quickly.”

You mean I heal pretty quickly.

He forced himself not to reply, and instead focused on getting the class settled. They quieted down as soon as he started taking attendance, but he got partway through the roster and felt his heart stop. Mackenzie was absent.

“No Mackenzie?” he asked casually.

“I haven’t seen her,” her friend Melissa told him. 

A thousand horrible scenarios were forming in his mind, and he was wondering which one was going to come true. Well, I did break most of that bastard’s ribs. She’s probably at the hospital with him … or something.

Trying not to show his worry, Kyle finished taking attendance, then turned to start writing the day’s lesson plan on the board. He was stopped halfway by the arrival of the vice-principal, Mrs. Vargas. Her eyes went wide when she caught sight of his wounds, but her surprise was short-lived. He knew instantly what her visit was about, and Ryka’s earlier words now made perfect sense. “Mr. Saunders, you’re needed in the principal’s office.”

“Um, right.” He left his class with an assignment, and followed her down to the principal’s office. It was a long walk, made even worse by the fact that she wouldn’t look at or speak to him. 

Don’t worry - if you go to jail, I won’t let anyone make you their bitch.

It wasn’t a comforting thought, mostly because he was half-expecting the police to be waiting for him in the main office. He was wrong about the cops, but the reality was just as bad. Mackenzie was sitting in the principal’s office, next to her father, who was in a wheelchair. Red-stained bandages were wound around his neck, and the bruising on his chest was creeping over the neckline of his shirt. Across from them, seated behind his desk and looking at Kyle with barely contained fury, was the principal, Dr. Taylor.

“Mr. Saunders, do you care to explain yourself?”

Cuts right to the chase, huh?

Kyle waited for Mrs. Vargas to close the door behind her before even attempting to reply. “I, I … it was self defense.” He motioned feebly at his bruised face, which paled in comparison to Keith’s injuries. “I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he motioned at Keith, who looked somewhere between terrified and outraged. Maybe he thought he’d imagined parts of what had happened the night before, Kyle realized. He had been quite drunk.

“I need to hear the whole story, Mr. Saunders. Including what happened in your class that has upset your students so badly.”

This was what he had been waiting for. He was finally going to get fired. And he’d never be able to teach again. Not caring how pathetic it looked, Kyle let a few tears fall. He’d never wanted this to happen.

Master, don’t let them push you around. Tell that prick how awful those kids were. Tell him this other asshole practically broke your door down at midnight. If not, let me tell them.

For a moment, he met Mackenzie’s eyes. Upset as he was, it was hard for him to read the emotion on her face. He looked away when he saw Dr. Taylor getting out of his chair. The principal took a few steps toward him, hand outstretched. And Kyle panicked.

“Ryka, servant of the Great Kingdom of Hell, your host and master calls you forth.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he’d wanted to say them. 

The transformation was nearly instantaneous. Ryka stood seething in the principal’s office, the tattered remains of Kyle’s second-most expensive shirt hanging off his shoulders. “One more step and I’ll rip your fucking arm right off,” he growled. 

All color drained from the principal’s face, and he sank back into his seat, unable to tear his gaze from the creature that stood before him. “If you want to stare, look here,” Ryka said, pointing at his eyes. “You can watch your own death.”

A wicked grin spread across Ryka’s face as Dr. Taylor leaned closer, completely entranced. Behind him, his shadow wrung its clawed hands together. Though it seemed torn between the principal and Keith, who was quietly trying to wheel himself toward the exit.

“I wouldn’t go anywhere if I were you,” Ryka told him, reluctantly turning away from the principal, who was shaking off the effects of staring too long into the demon’s eyes. “Maybe I should have ripped your throat out last night. I can’t believe you had the audacity to try to blame my Master for this. You’re the one who dares show up in the middle of the night, with every intention of killing him.” He shot a withering glare over his shoulder at Dr. Taylor, hissing out an embittered,  “And you want to know what happened to this brat? Her and the rest of those little fuckers thought they could hurt him, too.”

“Mr. Saunders?” Mrs. Vargas whispered. She had fallen to her knees, and was clinging to the principal’s desk for support.

“Do I look like Mr. Saunders to you?” She shook her head. “This one knows who I am.” He directed this at Mackenzie, who was rocking back and forth in her chair, legs pulled tight to her chest. 

“I swear I didn’t know my Dad was going to do this! I really thought he was just going to call. Please don’t hurt us!”

Ryka ....

“Leave,” Ryka told her. Without hesitation, she got up and ran for the door. Keith looked after her, bewildered. “Such devotion in your child, hmm? You weren’t looking to defend her, you were just looking for someone new to abuse. You’re a lousy father. I know all your sins, so don’t try to deny it. I already told you your fate, didn’t I?” His complexion already corpse-like, Keith managed a small nod. “Now, I’d forget all about trying to ruin my Master. Or I’ll have to break your other arm, too.”

“O-other arm?” Keith stammered.

Showing all his teeth, he grabbed Keith’s right wrist and fully extended the man’s arm. His smile only broadened as he turned Keith’s arm so his palm was facing down. “Yes, your other arm.” And then he pushed down on Keith’s elbow with his free hand. The wet snap of fracturing bone was the only noise to be heard in the small room. At least until the pain set in a moment later, and Keith screamed. 

“Delicious.” It was, at least while it lasted. Because it was only moments later that Keith slipped into unconsciousness. “Get rid of him.” This was directed at Mrs. Vargas, who had been attempting to get back to her feet. She crumpled under the weight of the demon’s attention, but sprang back up when he growled. “Move it. I’ll spare you for now, but just keep in mind, the same thing applies to you. None of this is Master’s fault. If there’s a problem, you’re more than welcome to take it up with me.”

Mrs. Vargas muttered profuse apologies and prayers. Only when the demon turned his gaze elsewhere could she find the nerve to stagger over to Keith. He was  coming to again, moaning in pain as she pushed him out of the room. 

“And now it’s just you and me, Mr. Principal. You must know what I am by now.”

Dr. Taylor nodded once. “What are you going to do to me?”

“Nothing, as long as you don’t do anything to my Master. You let him keep his job, and keep quiet about all this, and you get to keep living. Sound good?”

“Very.”

“I’m glad you’re a reasonable man. My Master hates the sight of blood, and I know he wouldn’t be pleased having to watch me disembowel you.” Ryka glanced over his shoulder at his shadow, who was fixated on Dr. Taylor. “Not today, sorry,” he told it. It whined and sank into a dark puddle on the floor.

Dr. Taylor watched it, but quickly returned his attention to the monster still standing before him.  “I’m going, Mr. Principal. But I’ll still know if you fuck with him. Just something to keep in mind.” Another small nod from the principal. “Now get the fuck out.”

With his final order obeyed, Ryka retreated, and the body he shared with Kyle slumped to the floor. Master, you need to wake up.

“Ryka. You shouldn’t have ….” Kyle felt he didn’t have the strength to finish the thought. He couldn’t even open his eyes.

But you called me. Of course I was going to protect you. Now, up you get, stud. You need to get back to class.

Slowly, Kyle cracked open his eyes. He sat up carefully, feeling the room spin around him. It took a few minutes of studying for him to realize he had been lying down on the floor of the principal’s office. He was alone, but the door had been left ajar, and he could hear voices out in the hall. “We found an extra shirt in his desk. Can we leave it here?” 

“Is that Tommy?” Kyle wondered aloud.

Sounds like it. That girl must have told them what was going on.

“You’re not to do anything about it.”

Yes, Master. But besides, they already know about me.

“That’s true. I can’t believe they’d bring me a change of clothes. What the hell is going on?”

They like you now, I guess. I didn’t know getting your ass beat made you cool. 

Kyle thought Ryka didn’t sound very happy about the fact that his students no longer hated him. “Jealous?” he teased.

So what if I am?

“Ryka? Is this about what you wouldn’t tell me the other day? Come on, just say it. What’s bothering you? I don’t like seeing you upset.”

You’re an idiot. Get up and get back to work. My vices don’t pay for themselves, you know.

Sighing, Kyle got to his feet. “Fine. I guess I owe you that much. Now where the hell did my glasses go?”

It took a little searching, a task made all the more difficult by the fact that, without his glasses, he could hardly see. Eventually, he found them under the principal’s desk. With great reluctance, he left the office, which opened into a small hallway, then the reception area. As he thought, Tommy was waiting. “Wow, you look a lot better.”

Kyle caught sight of his reflection in the window behind the secretary’s desk. His face was no longer swollen, and the bruises were barely visible. And he realized he could breathe without pain again. “I guess so.”

“Um, here.” Tommy handed him the garment, then left, presumably headed back to the classroom. Kyle changed, dropping the remains of his other shirt in the nearest wastebasket. The secretary watched with a nervous smile. She certainly would have heard what was going on in Dr. Taylor’s office. 

He was about to ask where Dr. Taylor and the others had gone, but she stopped him. “There are still twenty minutes left in first period. You should get back to class.” For a brief moment, he swore he could smell her fear, and he realized she was very politely trying to get him to leave.

“Right.”

In the deserted halls, he felt free to talk to Ryka. “Thanks for fixing up my face.”

Don’t thank me. You looked like ass, and since this is my body, too, it reflected badly on me. I was doing myself a favor. 

“You’re just so kind.” It was meant to be sarcastic, but Kyle knew it didn’t sound that way. Ryka may have been vain, but he was just as loyal. And he knew that Ryka really hadn’t liked seeing him hurt, and really had been trying to give him another way out of the confrontation. The evidence just hadn’t been in his favor. 

Some demon I am, huh?

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’ve successfully horrified a significant proportion of the people at school. Maybe next time we can shake things up in the teacher’s lounge. After that, maybe we’ll just hold an assembly. I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out.”

I’d be careful what you say. I’ve never seen anyone with worse luck than you.

“You think I’m unlucky?” He could sense Ryka’s confusion, and he laughed. “I don’t feel unlucky. I’ve always got you to help me out. Damning myself may have been the best thing I’ve ever done. I got a friend out of the deal.”

Master ….

Kyle stopped outside the door to his classroom. “I hope it’s not too backwards to say this, but you’re a good demon, Ryka.”

There was a moment of silence, and Kyle thought he’d said something wrong. At least until Ryka finally did answer. Well, as far as hosts go … at least you’re good-looking. You’re an idiot, but a rather attractive one. So I guess it could be worse.

Coming from a creature that had spent the first few hundred years of its life torturing the souls of the damned, Kyle thought that was a rather nice thing to say. Although, again, it was Ryka’s tone, not his words, that brought a smile to his face. “Fine, I’ll buy you some ice cream, too. Kiss-ass.”

Sucker.