Page 26 of Demon's Desire

“Umm, no I didn’t.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I never did anything like that.”

“I… Are you joking?” I asked softly, getting a little nervous. “This is a joke, right? About Elias?”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” He looked almost as confused as I did. “I’m sorry, you must be mistaking me for someone else.”

“You… You’re Marcus,” I pointed out.

Now he looked even more confused. “Yeah… Is this some kind of joke? Did my manager put you up to it?”

“N-no.” I sighed and rubbed my face. “No. Sorry to bother you.”

I turned around and left before he could say anything else. As soon as I hit the sidewalk, I started back in the direction of the apartment.

“Whooooaaaa.” Kelly called, running until she caught up with me. “What the fuck happened?”

“He says he doesn’t remember me,” I muttered.

“He what?” She gasped, glancing back at the store. “He’s joking, right? It’s like an inside joke because of that shit the other guy–”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “I asked. He had no clue what I was talking about. He asked if I was the one pulling a prank on him.”

“Bastard!” she hissed.

I didn’t really say anything else the rest of the walk home. I didn't know what to say. I was more than a little irritated and fairly pissed, but most of all, I was just embarrassed. What the fuck was going on here?

When we got back to the apartment, Torie and Mica were waiting on the steps. They didn’t have keys to the apartment, but they said they’d be out later.

“Hey, guys.” Mica nodded at us. “We finished up early.”

“Are you all right?” Torie frowned.

“No, I’m not,” I groaned, walking over to the steps and sitting next to Torie.

“What happened, honey?” she asked, rubbing my back.

“I saw Marcus at the coffee shop, but he didn’t remember me either!” I sighed. “It was the dumbest thing. First Elias, now Marcus. These guys go out of their way to flirt with me, to make a connection or plan a date, then the next thing I know, they’re saying they have no memory of me.”

“What the fuck?” Mica asked. “That’s bullshit.”

“Is it me?” I asked. “Am I like… I don't even know! What possesses a person to do that? Pretend they never met someone? Or are they telling the truth? Is there an epidemic of pianos falling on men’s heads in Chicago and making them forget that they ever met me specifically?”

“What about the other guy? The one in the store?” Kelly reminded me, trying to be encouraging.

“If I see him in a week, he’ll probably say he doesn’t remember me either,” I sighed. “I feel so shitty. I would actually feel better if these guys would just leave me alone instead of whatever this bullshit is.”

I heard the door open behind us. I started to get up to let whoever it was by, then I saw Helen. She was just standing in the door.

“I know what’s happening,” she said firmly.

I blinked. “Um, I’m sorry. Are we in your way? We can—”

“No.” She shook her head. “I know what’s happening to you.”

I paused when she said that and glanced at my friends. They all looked just as confused as I did.

“And… What do you think it is?” I asked.

“These boys are being possessed,” Helen said simply.