Patrick had thought, sometimes, about the family that he had abandoned. Poor Sheila, used up and thrown away. The baby boy, whatever his name was, who had never met his father. A shudder went down his spine when he imagined what the kid was up to now. He would have turned bad and discovered all his terrible gifts by now.
Sheila becoming pregnant had brought about the end of their relationship. The parting of ways was long overdue. Many arguments had raged before he packed his bags, with just a note left behind to tell her he had gone.
"Did you do it deliberately?" Patrick asked.
"What get myself pregnant? No, I did not. Bringing a child into this family, with all the things you do was not my plan." Sheila snapped.
"All the things I do? You must have forgotten your part in the crimes. Driving me to somewhere to commit a murder makes you an accessory. Taking the money from a dead person's pockets and ransacking their home is illegal, too. You were supposed to help me. You were supposed to be the good one, keeping the demon at bay, but things have changed. Instead of influencing me, I am influencing you."
"You're right. I was an innocent girl when you came along. Over the years you've drained me of all the goodness. Your evil has seeped into me and I'm a criminal as well."
"Now things are going to get worse. My demon is running rampant, you've lost your shine, and more evil is on its way."
"I've lost my shine, you've got a demon, you say these things, but I've never really understood. Each time I ask about it, you fob me off. You do that thing where you smile and look me in the eye and I don't think about it anymore. This time I want a proper answer."
"I can't give you an answer. I was born this way. People are sometimes born with the urge to kill, that's all."
"Yes, but they don't become a monster to do it. They don't change shape. They don't grow fangs and claws. It's unnatural."
"As I said I can't explain it. A curse perhaps, or, who knows, a faulty gene, what ever it is it rules my life. I have no control over my urges. The only way to keep it down is if someone who is good is with me. Once it decides to come out, it must have blood."
"The child, will it be like you?"
"Yes. It will be a boy and it will be just like me. At the age of sixteen, he will gain the ability to release his demon and the killing will start. It is inevitable."
"No, I won't let that happen."
"Good luck with that."
The day after the discussion, Patrick had gone. The note he left, accompanied by five thousand pounds, attempted to give the reasons.
I'm sorry Sheila, but I have to go. You can no longer keep me calm and help stop the beast. Without me around, you will regain control of your own life and you won't be dragged into my crimes.
Try to stay out of trouble and that will help you when it comes to the boy. Maybe you will be able to keep him on the straight and narrow for some time. Remember what I said about his demon. It will come.
Patrick
He had left Sheila and found himself another innocent young girl, Rachel, to help keep him in check. A sweet brunette, with an infectious giggle, and a bright shine, who soothed Patrick. The naïve girl, over the following years, became a bitter, irritable woman. Ten years had proved to be too long for this relationship.
Rachel had served her purpose and was no longer effective. Patrick considered the best way to leave her and move onto the next one. Everything she knew and what she had seen, could cause problems. Shrugging in resignation, there seemed to be only one solution. The stir of his demon signalled that the time had come.
"I'm sorry Rachel. Look at you. You were once so bright. Ten years with me has changed you, and not in a good way. I don't think that there is an ounce of goodness left in you. As I talk to you, I can see your displeasure. I do believe that you are snarling at me."
"I'm tired and angry. That is all I feel now. I need to get away from you, but I can't. It's like you have cast a spell on me and I can't escape."
"If I left you, what would you do? I think that my absence wouldn't solve your problems. You've gone too far down the evil path to find your way back. Without me, the main thing that would change is that you will be caught for your crimes. If you are caught, then you will talk. That would cause a major problem for me."
"Oh, there it is. For a moment I thought that you might be considering what is best for me. But, no, it all comes down to whether it will make a problem for Patrick. Everything is always about Patrick."
"My demon drives me to kill, but it is also very keen on keeping me out of prison. I admit that, as you say, Patrick will always come first. That is why I must take steps now to ensure that you don't cause trouble."
As he spoke, Rachel watched his physical appearance begin to change. Patrick saw her eyes grow wider as she shrank away from him. There was no way to escape what was coming. His arm shot towards her and then his claws ripped open her neck. In death, Rachel regained some of the softness that she had lost.
Patrick decided that he would put a time limit on his future associations with women. Two years at the most. There would be less guilt about ruining them, or killing them, and the girls would have a chance to start over. Anyway, he liked a bit of variety.
There were times when he had toyed with the idea of giving into his urges and having a real spree. That would be so satisfying. Maybe as he got old, he would go on the rampage with a weapon and then hope that he would be taken out by a cop with a gun. That would be a good way to die.
That was a way off yet though. Preening in front of the mirror, Patrick was happy with what he saw. Forty-eight years old, but looking much younger. Those young, shining, innocent girls still fell for him. Finding a new one always excited him. What would turn up as he started his latest search?
His mind wandered as he sat drinking coffee outside of a café. The waitress had succumbed to his charm and there would be no bill to pay when he left. Patrick was thinking about his son and where he might be now. Would he know him if he saw him? They would probably look very similar, but it was more than that. The demons would recognise each other.
There had been the occasional encounter with another man like him. Recalling how he had stopped in his tracks and sought out the cause of his discomfort. The air had crackled as his demon screamed inside of him. Fight or flight. A, full blown, battle between two beasts in a public area was not advisable. Both had nodded in acknowledgement and then moved quickly away.
What would have been the result if they hadn't moved on? A fight for sure. One that would leave only one man standing. Aggression had surged through his body at the sight of the man. His demon would have come out with one goal, it wanted to kill. The battle between them would have been ferocious. He enjoyed killing ordinary people, they didn't stand a chance, but that would have been on another level. A little too dangerous perhaps, but it was thrilling.
Meeting with one of his kind didn't happen often, perhaps 3 times in his life. Most people didn't cause him any worries. They could be manipulated, that came in handy if they witnessed him committing a crime. There were a few people, however, that were impervious to his charm. He did not like them at all.
Finishing his coffee, Patrick smiled and waved to the waitress as he left without paying. On the whole he was content with his life. Young women to love, albeit briefly, the ability to get money and goods through trickery, and the thrill as he gave the occasional gift of a life to his demon. He could live without ever seeing his son, although he remained curious about him. It was for the best.