A Soul Collectors Love

Is she even human?

Amanda snuck down the passage, her socks and the chitter chatter between Ajax and what he called furies, masking any sound she made. She heard an outraged scream, “You told me you loved me!” Amanda cringed and shook her head, she knew he had been a player the minute she slept with him, and to think others didn’t know made her want to roll her eyes. “God gave us common sense for a reason ladies”, she muttered as she finally opened her bedroom door without a creek. She rushed to her fur babies becoming super happy that she decided to lock them in here earlier. She hadn’t known the reason behind the feeling that made her do it but she always trusted it, it always proved to be right. She quickly closed the door behind her and began eyeing the window. This would be tricky. She grabbed the carriers from her top cupboard and began putting her two cats in first Mr Cuddles and Mittens. Once they were safely closed inside she put her old lady pug, Piglet, inside her own carrier. She manoeuvred all three boxes to her biggest bottom window and shimmied out as quietly as she could. She began retrieving the boxes but paused as she heard a loud crash. “s**t!” she whispered as she began to move faster and looked around her backyard before sprinting to her neighbours wall. “Molly!” Amanda tried her best to keep her voice down. “Hey Amanda!” Molly greeted in her highest pitch voice yet. Amanda cringed, and peaked back at her back door, after a moment of holding her breath she sighed in relief. She looked back at Molly and smiled as brightly as she could manage under the circumstances, “Could you look after my babies for a few days?” “Of course!” Molly exclaimed without a moment of hesitation. She knew this must be important because Amanda would never leave her babies. Amanda managed to carry all three to this part of the wall not wanting to risk leaving one behind. She began to pass the carriers over one by one and Molly took them without question although she did chance a worrying glance at Amanda. Once they were safely over she asked, “You okay honey?” Amanda sighed and nodded. “I’ll keep in contact okay?” Molly pulled up the too wide glasses on her amazing face. Molly was a model and the closest friend Amanda had. She had long, wavy, dark hair and the most amazing green eyes. She studied her a moment longer thinking that she would definitely be Ajax’s type. Time to go save him, if he needs saving because he is a demon and all. “Bye Molly and thanks again!” Amanda called out behind her while discreetly trying to rush back toward the house; Molly just waved and shook her head. Amanda owed her so much for that, she was definitely going to make her a pamper basket and maybe they could have a weekend once this drama was over. She slowed her pace once she could catch a glimpse inside the house through the back door. They had clearly gone out the front and as she looked up at the sky she realized it would definitely be dark soon. She made her way inside with extreme caution looking everywhere to try spot the furies, as she assumed there must be more than one. She didn’t have to wander too far because outside the front door was the dancing flicker of flames while Ajax gave a muttered curse. Amanda looked around and thought about her neighbours. They are going to think she picked up a bunch of freaks from the circus. She grabbed a kitchen knife and headed towards what was previously the front door now lying in shattered pieces all over the floor. She tried to stay low hoping to remain inconspicuous as she took in the view of her front garden. Most of the greenery was now black or covered in soot with tiny flames flickering nearby. Ajax looked burned in several places while the three furies stood on opposite sides of him huffing in rage trying to land a blow. He muttered, “I said I thought I loved you! You can do wicked things with your tongue!” Amanda rolled her eyes as she saw the furies begin to light up, even their hair catching on fire. They all had cuts that they were bleeding from which is why she assumed that they were probably already weakened. Amanda remembered reading something about furies in her Greek mythology books. They meted out vengeance to the guilty party on behalf of the victim but she did not recall reading about their demon lineage. Alright, enough! Amanda thought as she ran to the closest one which happened to be the red haired one and sliced at her ankles trying to hovel her but definitely not kill. She screeched in outrage as she fell next to Amanda on the ground and her sisters not realizing that Amanda had joined the party swung their red gazes to her. “Ha! Serves you right Gretchen!” Ajax mocked and made as if he were dusting himself off. “You remember my sister’s name but not mine!” the dark haired one screeched making Ajax flinch. “Well you may have been good with your tongue but Gretchen is talented in other ways. Aren’t you lovely?” he flashed an evil, knowing grin. Amanda fought the urge to gag as she looked up at him incredulously. “You are incorrigible. Could you not keep it in your pants?” She huffed. Ajax shrugged showing no remorse and the other two sisters stared at Gretchen. “You knew I loved him but you slept with him.” The raven haired one accused her. “Oh you know nothing about love Lisa! You’re barely 300! You’re just a child!” she scolded as if she were talking to a child and not a grown ass demon. Suddenly Amanda was not comfortable crouching in the middle of these two sisters and tried to back away imperceptibly. The curly haired one now spoke up, “But you lied Gretchen. We never lie to one another. We are furies! We avenge all wrongs!” Amanda crawled even further away as the one grew so angry her skin began to glow while the sister whose name is Lisa cried with fiery tears beginning to burn away the grass at her feet even more. She felt her hand land in one of the tiny flames that still littered the garden and hissed. Strong hands grabbed her upper arms and hoisted her to her feet. She held her injured hand to her chest and turned to look at Ajax. He wasn’t looking at her but keeping an eye on the furies as they began to turn on each other. She looked down at her clothing and although she had been outside for a matter of minutes she had burn marks on her pants and shirt. She was also probably covered in soot and as if on cue her feet felt like they were on fire. She squeaked and gripped Ajax’s arm attempting to jump away but he lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing and held her there not once moving his eyes from the trio. “Well, ladies, it has been fun and hot as always but I’m afraid I must be off,” he stated with bravado. Amanda thought if she was one of these furies she would burn him just on principal because even though the one sister lied to the other, he still seduced both. It was equally his fault. Even though she was not about to point that out to anyone because she was in the crosshairs, she gave a little wave to the trio and saw them begin to fade with matching looks of shock and anger marring their gorgeous faces. She was filled with a nauseating feeling and had to close her eyes from the onslaught of dizziness. Once she opened them again she viewed the familiar setting of Ajax’s living room.  He was walking towards his ensuite bathroom, “Urm, what are you doing?” she asked looking at the same door she hid behind in terror with trepidation. “Well, you’re all covered in soot and no way am I ruining my couch. Also it would probably help soothe your burns,” he shrugged as if listing her injuries as priority number two, after his couch taking first place, were nothing. “Put me down. I can walk.” Her sentences sounding clipped. He looked down at her and frowned but did not pause in his movements towards the bathroom. She looked at the bed noting the sheets were still tangled from their encounter and blushed, she felt mortified knowing that she must have paled in comparison to those drop dead gorgeous women they had just left. He seemed to notice her red cheeks and began smirking again. She would love to just wipe that smirk right off his face. They reached the bathroom and he placed her on the ledge of the bath tub. He looked at her hand first examining the burn that had already begun to blister, his eyes roamed her body searching for more injuries and noting that some of her clothing had burned away. She began to feel a burn that had nothing to do with her injuries. She wanted him again but she reminded herself that it won’t happen again if she wants to keep her heart safe. She also began an inspection of her clothing and cringed at the sight of many small holes revealing burns littering her torso, legs and feet. She hadn’t felt any of those happening. His hands reached to the hem of her shirt and he began to lift it, “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked immediately stopping his hands from further movement. “I’m helping you get undressed so we can treat your burns and perhaps get that soot off.” He stated in a casual tone but his eyes burned with an emotion she couldn’t identify. “No, I’ll undress myself and bath and you can wait outside.” She reinforced the sentence by giving him a push towards the door but he didn’t move an inch and this began to frustrate her.

Ajax felt slightly amused as Amanda gave him orders to leave with a little push. He full out smiled when she huffed in frustration, “Fine, I’ll let you undress yourself but I will be back to apply something to those burns and I will not care if you are still lying naked in the bath.” He shrugged knowing she cannot protest because it really is the best way to deal with her injuries. She narrowed her eyes at him but nodded and pointed to the door. He got up and walked out of the bathroom, heading towards the kitchen where he normally had some form of a first aid kit. He heard the bathroom door bang and bolt behind him and shook his head. It really is for the best because he felt his lust for her swell at the thought of undressing her and tending her wounds. What has gotten into him? He was the insatiable man w***e in the supernatural community. He loved every woman and everyone knew it but just for one night. He couldn’t remember a name the next morning and he usually didn’t want to. He had his fun and they had theirs but it was one night and time to move on. It kept his emotions in check. The only women he went back for seconds and thirds and ended up staying was the succubus Miranda. He remembered seeing her outside the club but now he felt uneasy. She is up to something. The few times she had been in his life, she had caused total and complete chaos. It had nearly spilled over into the human world and the Halflings were involved. Finding he had been lost in his thoughts while standing around in the kitchen, he quickly grabbed the first aid kit and began heading back thinking he might catch a bare glimpse of Amanda leaving the tub. As he made his way back to the bathroom he used his abilities to materialize on the other side of the door. Amanda’s hair had darkened in the bath water, that was covering her shoulders as she lay with her head back. Ajax felt his heart hammering from the thought of seeing her naked again. Her arm moved through the water and gripped the side of the tub, she must not know he was there. He moved one step closer but paused, seeing the red marks on her arms and her darkened hair floating in the water he felt his heart speeding up but not from lust this time, from panic. He dropped the bag, feeling his breath constricting in his lungs. He quickly turned and strode to the door unbolting it and walking towards his sliding door, out onto the deck. He felt better when the cool night air hit his face and he gulped it in. He hadn’t realized Amanda had followed in a towel and approached him seeing his distraught look and placing a comforting hand on his back. He couldn’t help himself, he just wanted to feel the softness of her, he turned into her arms and gripped her in a hug. He breathed in the scent of the shampoo she had used and felt her warm soft body cling to his. He felt like never letting go but stepped back and recalled her injuries. “I’m sorry if I hurt you,” he whispered. She looked down at her arms and her eyes widened. He felt the shock rush through him following on its heels was suspicion. Had he not felt her supernatural aura? How is she fully healed? Is she even human?