TANSTAV part 19

 Chapter 5 part 5

Through gritted fangs, I answered, "She is just fine."

"Oh, good!"  I glanced over my shoulder; Jessup gave me what was masquerading as a nostalgic smile.  "It's a shame I didn't get a chance to play with her a little before you caught up with us, Wormwood.  It would have been such fun for me.  You wouldn't believe the sort of excitement I can create."

"I'd prefer not to know," I muttered.  I wanted to leave, but the taunting voice of the demon kept me trapped in place.

"That tiny body of hers is so fragile.  Almost as much as a human's (Well, if he thought that, he didn't know her that well, obviously.  Not that I'd want him to).  One false step for them on a flight of stairs, and there can be a torn tendon, or a broken neck, or even a cracked skull!  It's really quite fascinating.  Every species has so many ways it can be killed, if you think about it.  I've studied them all, and thought them all out.  Even the many ways you could kill me, right here, right now.  You'd like that, wouldn't you, Wormwood?"

"Stop it," I whispered.

"No, really!  It would be fun!  All you'd have to do is grab my neck in one hand, and my head in the other, twist, and snap!  No more me.  Or if you prefer suffocation, that'd be easy too.  Or even tearing me limb from limb.  You can do almost anything to me here.  No one would notice, and probably no one would even care.  After all, what's one criminal, more or less?  You'd just love that, I know you would.  Being rid of me, and doing it with your own hands, after I took your girlfriend so cruelly.  She was really scared, let me tell you.  Thought you wouldn't find her in time, before I could-"

"STOP IT!!"

I spun around, started towards him, claws outstretched, and then stopped myself.  Jessup grinned in delight at having got to me so easily.

I stood there and fumed for a few moments, repressing my urge to throw Jessup to the ground (which wouldn't work, anyway, since those restraints kept him stuck up there), and stomp on his head.  I wasn't an animal.  I was a rational, intelligent gargoyle, and as temperamental as I was, I was not ruled by instinct.  And I certainly wouldn't let a cheeky, psychotic demon bring me down to his level of wickedness.  Especially because doing so would also land me in prison, which was most likely his intention in baiting me.  It would not do me, Xen or Calla any favors.

"I'm no murderer, Jessup.  Not even of you.  Sorry."

I turned away (again), and started to leave (again), but he stopped me (again).

"You think you're so much better than me?  All it takes is a little push, and you're just as bad."

"Have fun in your cell," I replied.  This time I really left.  Outside, I told Flavius, "I'm done here."  And then I slammed a clenched fist on the RELEASE button, hearing a satisfactorily startled cry as Jessup hit the floor of his cell.