The shadows suctioned themselves to Brendon's skin. The immediacy of it was suffocating. Brendon gasped, reaching up to hold his throat.

Within seconds, however, the darkness subsided and the light was back. Brendon let out choked gasps, still holding his throat.

The lantern sat on its side, rolling just slightly from side to side.

"What was that?" Brendon gasped.

Dallon looked around the room with suspicion "I think it may have been what killed your friends." His response was disturbingly casual. He acted as if he was commenting on the weather rather than the end of someone's life.

"I thought shadows were your thing." Brendon accused, glaring at the red eyes that continued to scan the room.

"It's a thing for most demons, grow up." He shot back, not even acknowledging Brendon with a side glance.

Brendon's eyes darted to pockets of shadow around the room. "So... A demon did this?"

The demon blinked, considering the question. "Perhaps."

Brendon glared at the demon. "A fat load of help you are." He pushed himself to his feet, trying to ignore the shake of his limbs. Once up, he bent back down to pick up the lantern. "We should go back to the gym."

He tried to ignore the fact that his friend sat dead on the ground just inches away. He tried to ignore that his other friend was dismembered on the ceiling just outside the hallway. He tried to ignore the fact that his boyfriend was being possessed by a fucking demon.

He needed to get back to Patrick and Pete. Some sense of normality... Someone who wasn't dead or inhabited by the dead.

"Let's go." Brendon said. However, his body wouldn't move. He was frozen in place as the pressure of everything he tried to ignore weighed down on him. Dead friends. A boyfriend who checked out on reality to give a demon a free ride. Darkness that seemed to want to suck him and anyone else in.

"Are you ready to go?" The demon inquired, somehow pulling Brendon back to the present moment. Away from the bubbling what if  thoughts that were ready to pop.

Brendon gripped the lantern tighter. He needed to be ready.

"I can mute your fear." The demon made Dallon's voice soft as silk, "I can even give you the reigns if you just let me in."

Brendon snapped his eyes shut. He bit his lip to keep the word from slipping past them. He couldn't. He wouldn't. "Let's go." He repeated, opening his eyes and finally willing his body to move.

The demon said nothing, but followed.

They moved slowly in the dark. Brendon kept the lantern high, trying to ward off as much dark as he could. The suffocating feeling that had enveloped still seemed to make it hard to breathe. It was like he could still feel the ghost of its pressure trying to squeeze the life out of him.

At his side, the demon looked up at the ceiling with question. His eyes scanned the ceiling, yet his feet remained walking straight.

"What?" Brendon asked, despite how nice the sound of the demon not talking had been.

"The storm is already on a weakening path." He replied.

"Good." Brendon wanted to sign in relief, "That's the sooner we can get out of here."

"Once the storm leaves, so do the conditions of my deal." The demon snarled, "No storm, no body."

Brendon spun to face him. "Do us all a favor and just jump out of him now." He shot back. Even with his short fuse during a storm, he missed Dallon. He wanted Dallon here next to him, not something that decided to jump inside him during a moment of weakness.

"So you can watch your boy toy go completely insane?" The demon reached out and pushed some hair away from Brendon's face. He recoiled at the touch. "So this thing, whatever it is, has a better chance of killing him too?"

Brendon froze. He hadn't considered that. Could Dallon be safer with that thing inside him while everyone else slowly died around him? "You think you're why he hasn't died?"

The demon laughed. "I know I am." He took a step towards Brendon. "Before it went for Tyler, it went for him. Whatever it was sensed me, however, and made the smarter move to pass on."

"You knew Tyler was alive?"

The accusation cut through the air like a knife. Brendon wanted to scream. He wanted to punch the thing that walked around in his boyfriend's body. He wanted to, but his stance was relaxed. He could feel his emotions being repressed.

Dallon took another step. "I did once he was dead." He spoke slowly. "I wasn't looking for him so I didn't get the memo until you did."

Brendon stood still as Dallon took another step forward. "I know you don't trust me."

"Glad you got the hint."

"But you used to." The demon finished, eyes flashing red. "We were friends, but something changed. You grew up and I was called elsewhere. Then, during my absence, something else supernatural filled my place. It erased me to a level your brain couldn't fully reach." He was toe to toe with Brendon now. Their eyes were locked. "You only trust me out of convenience."

"I'm not sure I trust you at all." Brendon said, staring into the red iris that seemed to bore through him.

Silence. Neither seemed to want to break it as they stared each other down.

"I'll give you a reason." The demon finally replied. His words prompted Brendon to release a breath he had been holding during their silent exchange. A small smirk hooked the demon's lips. "One minute. No more, no less. He'll be groggy and won't remember. I have a deal to maintain."

"What?"

The demon shrugged. "To make sure he's alright. To give you less reason to doubt me."

Before Brendon could ask another question, the red pulled away from Dallon's blue eyes. Where there had been a devilish gaze, a tired one replaced it. An almost dreamy smile played on his lips as he began to fall to the floor.

"Woah!" Brendon quickly caught him. He eased him down, gently, looking at him with disbelief. "Dallon?"

His boyfriend hummed, lazily bringing his eyes to Brendon. "Hi." His voice was just a step above a whisper, but it was spoken without anyone but Dallon behind it.

"Is it really you?" Brendon brushed hair away from Dallon's forehead.

Dallon seemed out of it, but aware enough to focus on Brendon. "Yea. Are you okay?" His brows scrunched just slightly, "You look worried."

"Forget me!" Brendon cupped Dallon's cheeks in his hands. It was really him. It was Dallon talking back to him, not some demon that was set on making life hell for Brendon. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Dallon let out a giggle. "I feel kind of..." He twisted his hand.

"Drugged out?"

"Did Tyler have more gummies?" Dallon asked.

Brendon's heart dropped. Dallon didn't know about Tyler. Dallon didn't know about Josh. He had no idea of the hell that had happened while he was locked in his head.

"Hey... I love you, you know?" Dallon yawned as he pressed a hand against Brendon's.

"I love you too, Dallon." Brendon shut his eyes to avoid tears from forming. "I'm so sorry I dragged you into this."

"I'm tired..."

"No, Dallon!" Brendon opened his eyes. Dallon, however, was closing his own. When he reopened them, red irises looked back at Brendon.

A grin took over Dallon's face. "See? I'm holding up my bargain with your boy toy just fine."

Brendon pulled his hands away from Dallon's face, grimacing at the change in Dallon's voice. How could he not register it sooner after he had made his deal?

"Still don't trust me enough to make a deal of your own?" The demon tilted his head. "As soon as my mission is done, you would have yourself back. You need only say yes."

"Over my dead body." Brendon shot back. "If I knew how to get you out of him-"

"We've discussed this." The demon rolled his eyes. "Move on like your memories."

"You seemed like much less of an asshole in my memories." Brendon huffed as he rose to his feet.

"You were much less of one yourself back then." In the blink of an eye, the demon was beside him. "Didn't you want to check on your living friends rather than bicker? Three of the five are still alive, but we don't know for how long."

As much as Brendon hated to admit it, the demon was right. He needed to get to Pete and Patrick. Without a word, he continued down the hall. The demon followed.