It's been a few years, Drako and I have taken multiple more demons souls. Some were even close to taking one of us out at the time. I've gotten better at strategy and so has Drako. I can see him now. I can see his full form, head to toe. Not to mention; Suicide. At this rate, the town was going to kill itself off. Three suicides this week and last month there were ten. One for every two days. No one knows why, there was no clues, and it was shown to be because of depression. This town was getting more dead as time went on. Literally.
You would think Drako would have Devil horns and a spiked tail, right? Well, you're not completely wrong. Let me show you the time I got to see Drako's real demon form.
☽ ☥ ☾
Two years ago, I was sitting on the side of the road. I was in another city. A bigger one, away from my home town. Drako follows me everywhere. And if he's out the city, then there's others. Not just my old hometown. I had to get away from there. I didn't want to be consumed by all of my old memories. I may not be different now, but I have changed in some ways.
There was people all around me, watching their kids at the playground. They paid no attention to me, maybe thinking I had a child out there of my own. I mean, I am twenty-one now. It's possible. Although, I paid no attention. I had been watching this young kid run around his parent in the park. The mom was crying, talking to someone on the other line. To me, crying seemed useless. Why cry? It only wastes time in life. And to the present day, I will never understand why falling tears were a thing. Drako grumbled inside my head before my vision flickered and my hearing broke. I couldn't hear anything for a moment, but I didn't need to hear anything. I could feel Drako's presence right behind me. Watching with me. No one around us could see Drako. No one could hear him. But if they could, they would have to be looking through their Demons eyes. Drako could come out in the sunlight now, but he was still a black mist. I couldn't feel him. I tried to stick my hand through his torso once. It worked. And I only felt a slight tingling sensation run up my arm after I withdrawn it.
My gaze shifted from the mother, to her small child tugging on the woman's joggers.
I didn't understand what a real family was. I didn't understand love. And I sure as hell didn't understand why people cared so much about something that only took and barely ever gave.
I sighed and put my hand on my temples. I had hoped this woman might'f had a demon, or at worst; her child had one. But no, neither of them had one. I couldn't see it. And I couldn't sense it. They looked boring, bland, and too human for my liking. I may be of their species, but I still find them disgusting.
I stood up, dusting my pants off.
"Look closer, Wael.." Drako whispered, his voice sent shivers down my spine and made goosebumps run along my skin. He had the voice of Satan himself if I had to put it into words. But what could I do? Nothing.
I didn't think Drako was Satan. He still wasn't powerful enough to keep up a long term conversation. But I was working on something. I had put in a job application at a bar not far from my apartment. That would make finding people's demons a lot easier. And drawing them out. I've noticed a few times. Most the easiest victims I've been able to take—Drako's been able to take—were intoxicated. They let their demons have ahold of them too soon. They lost control due to the booze, and they didn't even know it.
I looked closer at the woman, squinting slightly.
"Down." Drako grumbled.
"The kid?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows to the little red headed boy at the woman's side. The light glistened in his red locks of hair and shown a tear down his face.
"You see it now?" Drako chuckled, he knew I saw it. He knew my reactions to things. He knew my feelings. He knew....me.
"The kid isn't....The kid's the demon.." I said, my face showed pure shock. This was a new one. That was why the woman paid the kid no attention! The kid was a demon that not even she could see. But it was her demon. So why couldn't she see it?
"Closer." Drako growled.
I looked closer. The kid—demon—was powerful. Maybe a little too powerful.
If this demon could show a form—
"It seems it's a toddler. It looks as if the demon isn't that old." Drako said, croaking out a cough afterwards. It was straining to keep talking to me in that form. It would be best if he went back into my thoughts and spoke there. But he's stubborn. He gets it from his owner.
So, the demon is showing his real human form. How the hell am I supposed to get his soul..
Think, Darius..
Think..
I chewed my bottom lip.
The kid was powerful enough to go unnoticed all this time so, either, it had to be a quickly developed demon.. Or a lost one.
"He doesn't have an owner." My eyes widened as I realized.
"He's trying to take her while she's at her worst.." I tapped my lips with my pointer finger, a habit I started when I was deep in thought.
"To get him away.." I mumbled.
On this scenario, I could either draw the kid to me somehow or I could find a way to kill him then and there. But the moment I step over the line and get ready, he could show himself to the outside world and it would look as if I murdered a young child. That wouldn't work. I needed to draw the kid away, wouldn't be easy considering I can't do it with lollipops and ice cream. This was a demon. Not any kid.
I looked back behind me, peering up at Drako. He knew what I was thinking.
The woman could be heard sniffling a few yards behind me. Any more depressed and the demon might latch on and not let go. That was how this one worked. He got into the persons head at their lowest and kept putting them down until suicide where he took their soul. For a kid, it had a bright mind. At least I knew what was causing the mass suicides.
"Are you sure?" Drako asked. He may have been a demon, but he never showed any signs of not caring. After that incident five years ago in the field under that tall oak tree, he hasn't done any murder's or soul "reaping" (what we ended up calling it. He might-as-well of been the reaper of demons at this point.) without my consent and say so. We always went by my plan unless I couldn't think of one fast enough. But now, it was both of our times to shine.
I've found a few more things out.
Drako can't kill me, only I can kill myself if driven to that point. And that will never happen.
If Drako reaps a demon soul much more powerful than his, than he gains that power in a mass and within the timespan of a day. If he reaps a demon soul lower rank than his, it will come with time and barely any notice. It was going to start getting hard to reap demon souls after this child—demon-thing. But hopefully, it would be enough to boost Drako into the visual area. Where I could see a real form of his, and not the mist I always saw in the corner of my peripheral vision. I clenched my jaw and swallowed back bile. This was gonna be a hard task, but I needed to have faith that Drako will do as told this time. I know he can't let me die, but it is possible he can grab an item of mine, or a body part, then let the demon eat me whole. Or my soul. Whatever that demon reaped from humans that made it stronger.
That's another thing. When I get the job at the bar. I'll be breaking some of my rules. I will start allowing myself to murder humans. But it will not be the ones who didn't deserve it. The drunken pedophiles, murderer's (of the innocent), and rapists. Yes, I will be a set up most the time for females or some homosexual males. But that will only be for my own good and Drako's. No wonder where we will be in a couple years if my plan worked.
Drako grumbled and I could tell he had looked away. His eyes shifted and the fog covered the red as if it was the side of his face.
Did he not like my idea?
Maybe....
No.
"Okay, lets get on it. You disappear, or hide, just....How about we keep me alive." I glared and huffed.
"When have I not?" Drako shot back, making me smile slightly. If I had to say our level of communication, though.. I guess, I might call him a little bit of a friend. I wouldn't dare get closer. Not unless I knew for sure that he wouldn't hurt me. And I'm started to get a vibe that he wouldn't. Maybe he really did care. Or maybe that's what he wanted me to think.
I drew in a breath and started to walk towards the woman. Drako had dispersed in mid air. He had this new teleporting ability with his current form. Probably won't have that after this demon's soul. Perfect time to make the best use of it now.
I put on that ever-so-practiced smile.
"Hello.." I spoke up, tapping on the woman's shoulder. This may look a little creepy, a twenty-one year old talking to this, possibly, twenty four year old woman that possibly has a kid. I wonder if she had a real child out here..
I avoided the demon under me's gaze, the kid's eyes staring at my jaw. I could feel his presence now that I was closer. This was going to be tough..
If he can disguise himself so easily, he may not even be a kid.
"I wouldn't lie to you." I heard Drako in my mind, an old thing he told me a few years ago after I had taken out Riley's demon without hesitation. He still doesn't understand what went on that day, and I may not either..
The memory sends shivers down my spine.
"Oh, hello.." the woman said, wiping her eyes and pulling her phone from her ear.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
She nodded and clicked the red hang up button on the phone.
"Yeah, it's just my husband..." she muttered and sniffled, holding her hand over her mouth.
"Awe, it's alright. Ya'know, the grass is always greener on the other side. So, look up." I plastered on a smile and put my pointer finger under her chin to angle her head up.
"Alright?" Considering that old classmate Angelica eventually spoke up and tried to tell me multiple things about how "Handsome" I was or how I "Acted like the perfect husband; Quiet and respectful", I started taking that into consideration right now. I didn't want the woman, I wanted the child. I was using the woman. Distracting her.
"O-oh.." She whispered, her face as red as a beetroot.
"Something wrong?" I asked. She smiled up to me, shaking her head.
"No, but.." She moved her head away from my finger, looking out over the playground.
She said she was married, why did she act like this was okay? I wanted her mad. Something to push the clingy demon on her leg away.
"I need to find my daughter.. her name is Enott.." She whispered, then looked back to me, "But maybe after, we could-" She sniffled, "go get something to eat if you would like?"
Ah, I get what was happening here.
My smile dropped and I looked amongst the crowd of kids. I spotted one with dark brown hair such as this woman in front of me, the kid was playing on the swings with another little girl.
"I'm sorry, I don't think I want dinner with a striving whore." I muttered and pattered her cheek. Her face changed quickly to a point of disgust with me.
"I am no such thing! I am only a woman trying to fend for herself and child-" I cut her off.
"And how have you been doing that?" I asked, a brow lifted. My eyes had a dead look, no glisten, no shimmer. No life.
"I..." she started and turned her head, ready to march off, "that is no means your business. Have a nice day." She angrily growled under her breath.
"Wait." I said without hesitation,grabbing her wrist and pulling her back to me, "Could you at least tell me what made you cry?" I asked.
".." No reply for a moment, and no gaze connection, "My husband cheated on me with a slut." She looked away, "But I still love him so.."
I don't see any difference between her and him.
"Well, I guess he didn't find enough in you. Maybe you should beat him to death then make him repent for his sins." I said with a mischievous smirk playing along my lips. Some would even say it was masochist like.
"Make him.." She paused then her eyes widened, "Thats a great idea.." I could see her holding back her laugh, then she looked to me, "Thanks kid." She winked and swayed her hips away from me.
You can't be mad at your husband when you act like the slut he's sleeping with..
The kid, that was once latched onto her leg, looked up to me, "Why did you do that?" He asked. His frail voice masked with fake sadness.
I didn't reply, I only walked away and back into the main crowd of people on the sidewalk. I knew he was following. And I knew he was angered.
I heard Drako give small whispers, guiding me through the crowd.
I don't understand why the demon followed me because I turned away his prey, you would think he would go after someone else. But that's fine, this way was easier. I just didn't need another demon in hiding if this was our big chance.
My fists clenched and loosened, my eyes darting every direction. Where was people not at in the middle of the day?
I hummed, and chewed my lip.
It's lunch break, so everyone is out eating or spending ever-so-little time with their family until work started back up.
The bookstore roof.
The bookstore stairs leading to the top of the roof, if I could get up there..
Drako must have heard me, because when I came close to the building, I saw a shadow of darkness and a flash of red. He was waiting.
I turned back, and shoved through the small crowd, finally entering the building.
"How can you see me?" The boy asked, tugging on the hem of my shirt, "I thought I was alone here.." he whispered.
He truly kept the act of an innocent kid..
I only looked back for a mere second before starting back up the stairs.
"Please, tell me how. Are you a Dyerete too?"
A Dyerete?
What was a Dyerete?..
Is that what they are? Or what they call themselves. Instead of demons you call yourself dyerete's?
I didn't let that stop my pace, I was almost to the roof.
"Why did you take the evil and not the innocent?" I asked.
"I don't know.." he whispered.
"Then you have your answer." I shot back and opened the roof door, seeing Drako standing by the ledge, looking down amongst everyone. They couldn't see him, but I could. And his eyes when he stared back at me, were hungry.
This was a meal to him. What he lived off of. Strived off of.
I gulped and looked back at the kid, "Listen. It was a genuine question." I glared, "Why did you kill the sinners and not the saint?" I stared into the demons eyes.
No reply and an avoided gaze.
He then only spoke up, "Because that is what my owner wanted."
He's only a mere demon. But, that didn't change anything. It did weaken my heart at the slightest, but I didn't let it affect me.
"Did your owner want you gone?" I asked.
A moment later, he nodded, "Yes."
But demons aren't allowed to kill themselves. They only have the willpower to kill others.
Furrowing my eyebrows; I sighed, "Well. Did you want to die?" I asked politely.
Drako grumbled behind me, getting closer.
I was not afraid.
"Yes.." he whispered, "But I am not her slave anymore, Darius.." he spoke up, my face morphing to shock.
Drako wasn't growling at me; he was growling at the kid.
"How do you know my name?" My gaze intensified.
"I hear it all." He stared back, his features morphing.
That must have been the work of his ways.
He was a different demon that I've worked with. He can see names, to cover his tracks if needed, and the level of depression.
He could also morph. Something Drako didn't have just yet. Maybe he didn't need the morphing, maybe he could seduce people with his natural looks.
"I see it all." He growled to me. I no longer had to crouch to look him in the eye. The man saw I wasn't falling for his disguise so he gave it up. Showing his true, perplexed, self.
Drako huffed and sighed. He seemed disappointed.
"Shut up, douche. I know, I should have noticed sooner. I'm not the one promising no lie's." He glared back at Drako before looking back to the man standing in front of me.
He had twisted horns that dripped black sludge coming out of his forehead. Down his spine was little quill like daggers that could tear any human open. I stepped back and he stepped foreword.
"I told you." Drako whispered.
"No you didn't." I stepped back again.
"I said look down." He shot back through my thoughts. And when I looked down, I could see the edge of the building behind me.
"You wouldn't." I looked over at Drako before looking at the demon's bright orange eyes, staring back. Wanting blood. Wanting death. Wanting... me.
Drako visibly shrugged.
He would..
I looked between the demons. "And I thought you were better." I glared.
"Just a little bit!" I shouted. People from the group looked up three stories, some seeing nothing because of how close to the building they were and some seeing me because of how far they were. I heard gasps. They must have thought I was going to jump. I needed to do something. And fast.
I can admit, it did hurt.. betrayal. But what didn't hurt, is that I knew it would happen. And it pissed me off that I was right again. Just like every other time. It pissed me off!
"Six years!" I shouted, "Almost six years, Solomon!" I huffed, and staggered backwards. Closer to the edge.
The demon tried to step closer.
"Die to suicide or die to dignity." Drako said from behind the demon in front of me.
"I'm related to all of them. All the demons." He spoke, coughing afterwards. "But these." He added.
"They're assholes.." He huffed.
I looked to Drako. He was speaking better, not great, but not as horrid as usual. Maybe this is what needed to happen. Not me dying, but me standing up for myself. Me winning.
I looked up from the ground to the demons fire eyes, grinning mischievously.
An actual smile spread to my lips.
"What are you?" I asked, stepping foreword.
"Are you a demon or their long lost cousin who never wanted to be seen again? A Dyerete? Is that even a thing?" I growled, grinning like a mad man.
Sometimes I did wonder if I was human or if I was becoming one of them too..
"Shut up." He said and stepped foreword.
"You're just a demon who tried to follow its owners rules by killing the evil. Well, I'm the same thing. I kill the evil to get stronger so I can rule over your kind. So I can watch you suffer while I watch!" I shouted.
There goes my rules.
"Darius. Calm down." Drako said in a hushed tone. I snapped my head towards him.
"Don't talk to me right now." I panted with madness. Grinning ear to ear, my mind was lost.
My feet didn't feel level with the ground but I knew I was standing on level cement.
My eyes watered with hatred and my fists shook. I was upset. But not because of everything that happened. Because I needed an outlet. And I realized that Drako noticed.
So, he let me have his kill so I would have some dignity and smite back. Maybe even more confidence because he was already rimming with it.
My breathing shook.
"You, you don't have another emotion." The demon furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. That's what drew him to me. My emotions. He could see straight through my act..
"No. I don't. I'm a sociopath. I don't feel love.. I don't care for others around me, and I sure as hell, won't care about you. I don't even need to have friends, I hate them! I actually think I'd be better off dead sometimes but that is a little to selfless now isn't it?" I made a laugh that sounded oddly evil, then I grinned again and looked away, "I listen to everything and see everything. Hahah, and the last I heard of you.." I bit my lip, my pointer finger going to the mans ear where he had a piercing, "Was how the devil wanted you back as his slave."
The demon flinched as I ripped his small earring out.
Drako grinned and came up behind the already dying demon, putting a hand under the chin and on the hair before he ripped off the head in one fowl swoop. The cracking and tearing of skin was only for a moment. Then silence. My breathing rigid. I did that..
I flinched and stepped back, holding the piercing.
I didn't even know.. How did I notice?..
I didn't know the piercing was the belonging to the first owner. But, I guess, it made more sense due to the fact he only had one. Maybe Drako guided me. Panting, I stuffed the earring in my pocket.
I let off a sigh and sat on my bottom.
"Long day?" He asked before he dropped the head to the ground where it turned into black particles and disintegrated into mid air. Just as the body did the same. Not the first time I've seen that. Sure as hell won't be the last. I wasn't facing Drako. I wasn't even looking. I stared at my hands. The light tingle running down my spine told me that Drako was absorbing the power from before. The demons soul.
My hands shook. I loved the feeling.
I loved how I didn't hesitate, I loved how I just murdered something and I didn't even need to cover it up. I...loved...it.
I heard popping and a grunt, before I could hesitate, I looking up to meet a pair of red fire eyes and an actual outline of a tall man. I couldn't see his body. He was still blacked out, as if his skin hadn't formed, but what I did notice, was he had a strong jawline and the chiseled features of his muscles. Maybe this bar idea was going to be better than I thought.
A smirk grew on my lips.
"Stop checking me out, you psycho, and c'mon. I hear people coming." He said, his voice strong and defined. It didn't sound like static anymore. It sounded clear. It sounded perfect. It was deep, raspy in places, and even had a touch of dominance as he spoke. This man—demon—was a lot of women's dream husband. And for me to have him as a pet. Lord, let them bow.
Drako shook his head, waving his hand in front of my face, "Fantasy kid. Let's go!" He shouted and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me up to my feet.
"Ouch! Hey!" I grumbled and shrugged him off. He hadn't ever been able to touch me before. And I could clearly touch him. Could others see him?..
A man walked out the door on the far end of the roof and shouted, "Kid! Get down from here! This is no way to end it!" He yelled, trying to get me to come to him.
They couldn't see Drako.
He needed to be stronger.
A lot stronger.
"Jump."
Turning to Drako, "What? No!" I exclaimed.
"Now." Drako didn't take no for an answer. And before I could make another movement the cop was coming closer. I couldn't be caught. So I did as told. And I jumped.
My heart racing. And the world spinning. I fell slower than I thought I would. This was terrifying. Drako stared down at me from the roof before disappearing. I had jumped off the side, where the alleyway and no human life was. Before I touched the ground, I had two arms wrapped around my shoulder and a knee.
Drako caught me.
He still could teleport.
My breath started to calm as my adrenaline was still pumping.
"Run, we need to run." I climbed out of Drako's arms and pulled his arm along.
"Slow-poke. Go! I may be human but if I die you do too! And there are other demons that just saw what happened and would kill me to get to you. So come on!" I yelled and Drako growled under his breath, nodding in response. I heard the officer yell before we finally got out of everyone's reach, in an abandoned field much like the one back home. There was even a big oak tree we could sit under.
"Ugh, oof." I plopped myself onto the tree's roots, Drako laughing and sat himself beside me.
"Tired?"
"Dead." I joked.
Drako's demon form showed up more over time. He had two sharp twisted horns from the forehead that I often flicked to see if they were real. Very real. They hurt like hell each time..
He also had a tail that he kept wrapped around his abdomen until we would get him his true human form. After we get that, he will have three forms. And I don't know if there is another form from that. I've never seen one. Not yet at least.
☽ ☥ ☾
Two years in the future.
Present time.
Drako grumbled from the other side of the bed, the alarm clock beeping. "Turn it off!" I shouted angrily, an he did, he slammed his hand upon it and made it stop.
"It's time to get up." He whined.
"No, no, it's not. I'm still asleep, and you can fill in for me. You have had more energy than me because you suck it from my soul! ....literally.." I grumbled.
The man with black locks that hung in front of his left eye, sat up and looked at my side profile, "Just because I use your energy doesn't mean I don't repay you." He chuckled and ran his finger along my jawline. He himself had chiseled features and a strong jawline. Okay, maybe I like his deep blue human eyes too, but the red ones he gets when he's mad—
He got the lady's in the evening and other souls during the night.
"Stop." I slapped his hand away.
We do our job. Drako's practically independent now. But he can't leave. And from what I believe. He wouldn't.
"Fine. Sleep well, princess."
"Call me that again and I'll be the one reaping your soul." I hissed and turned my head towards the darkness.
The last thing I heard was Drako's deep chuckling and the door shut before I was asleep again.