We Dream of Hope

Demon of Wrath

“You’re what now?” She stopped looking at him worried.

His stance softened as he looked at her. He studied her, his eyes ran her up and down and he felt something new. It was deep inside and bubbling from a place long hollow. He could tell she was concerned and in that moment those bubbles rose fueling in him something like never before. His heart was swelling with something other than the dreary loneliness of his past. Could it be a desire to be wanted? Did he want to comfort her? This new feeling struck him as difficult to understand and he fought back the urge to grab her and squeeze the hurt from her body, he needed to retrace himself and think more carefully in the future. This girl was different and it choked something uncommon into him. He looked to the side, “So maybe that’s an exaggeration.” Nadia continued to stare at him waiting for his redone introduction, “I’m Aidan, don’t worry Little Hope.” he tossed a half grin trying to reassure her of himself, “I’m just a half demon. Hence why you are seeing this.” He lowered his head again to talk down to her, he just couldn’t help himself to toy with her, “Instead of that cute form you were so smitten by.” He winked and quickly rubbed his hand over the top of her head. Touching her this second time his hand sparked jolting his heart and calling out to take it a step further. As he fought with himself Nadia decided to take the upper hand.

“Seriously,” unimpressed, offended, and very much still reeling from the previous charade he threw on, Nadia ducked her head out of the way before he could tussle up too much of a rat’s nest, “Don’t call me Hope.” She didn’t want to be associated with her right now, it was still too fresh a wound. 

“Dove it is.” 

Nadia was a little concerned with how quickly he was to give that up. She didn’t want to sound too hateful to him so she was going to choose her battles on this one. 

“So,” his interest fully peaked with the new addition to the town, “What brings you to my city? Unfortunate coincidence or deliberation to meet the one and only mighty wrath demon.”

No answer, she wasn’t going to justify that with a response. Eye roll and a huff were all she could give him and even that seemed to be a wasted effort.

“Unfortunate coincidence it is.” He scratched his head, it was starting to feel awkward, he was running out of lines. He had never really held a conversation with someone for this long. Let alone one that involved emotional substance. “Whatever, dove, don’t answer. You’re going to come with me.”

Stepping back she wondered if he was serious. After everything that just happened was he really going to turn into a kidnapper?

“Follow me.” He waved and turned around, when he turned back and noticed she wasn’t abiding by the instructions he rolled his eyes, “That wasn’t a suggestion dove. Follow me and I’ll overlook you not knowing who I am but still having the gall to walk around my town. Hell, I’ll even overlook Sera bringing you hear without telling me first.” he winked playfully at her for an extra strike at her heart, “As a concerned citizen of Wrath Hold I can’t let such a naive and tasty treat like you wander into trouble unguarded.”

Now Nadia was upset, an hour ago he was making her swoon with a simple turn of phrase and now he had lost all the charm. It was as if he just didn’t need to try anymore. Still he managed to turn her face red with his tosses of half hearted affection. She was hesitant to follow him, he gave no indication of where he was going to lead her. For all she knew he was going to lead her to some dungeon and lock her up, this little act was just a way to make things easier on himself. 

He rolled his eyes. He knew why there was hesitation she was brewing with hate and contention for what he was. He could taste every negative feeling she was tossing out and his heart couldn’t keep himself from wanting to taste her full potential. Still, he thought of Sera, she was surely going to do worse thing to him if anything happened to this girl, so he had to get her to follow him. He knew this city like the back of his hand and she was at most into a day in town. He had to get her back to Sera for her own good, “Dove, I’m not going to hurt you. Sera would murder me if she brought you into this town and I went crazy on you. This whole thing falls apart if we don’t share a trust. I’m honestly going to just take you back to her. This isn’t really a place you should wonder around alone without knowing where you’re going.”

“How well do you know Sera?” She had just met her personally, but wasn’t wanting to share that bit of information. Nadia wanted to know more about him, he seemed to have two sides to himself, right now she could tell he was trying to suppress some other side he didn’t want her to know about.

He shrugged, “A fair few years. We’ve got an agreement between the two of us. So you know it’s a pretty serious relationship.” he tugged at her heart strings, he just couldn’t help himself. She was standing there looking like a full glass of water and he was undeniably thirsty. Still, his little comment didn’t seem to ring out the reaction he was hoping for. She didn’t seem troubled by it and she wasn’t jealous. She was uncertain. “What’s eating you about her?”

She looked at him trying to figure out how deep his feelings for Sera actually went. She had spent enough time with Aidan to know that his take on the “relationship” the two of them may have shared wasn’t exactly the entire story. “Nothing, she seems like a nice girl,”

He looked back to her and in a brief lapse of judgment felt his feet move closer to her he stood towering over her and looking down eyes still distant trying to play catch up with the rest of him, “Liar.” He whispered and sniffed her hair it snapped him back to himself and he regained a distance between them. Knowing he had to break the silence after that uncomfortable interaction, he belted the first thought that came to his head, “You smell dirty.” as it was said he distanced himself from her continuing to walk leaving her a little in awe at his comment. “Where did you come from?”

Nadia didn’t feel like answering his question, it wasn’t the fact she didn’t want to share with him but more to do with his behavior it was too erratic. He was flipping more and more the longer they were together. Though this was most certainly the demon in him coming out to test the waters of her power, Nadia still felt the need to be reserved. The man was uncoothe and a burning was bubbling up from her gut telling her to slap him to next Tuesday, “Dirty? Well, you Mr. Fireplace aren’t too minty fresh yourself.” She snorted.

Relieved to hear that fighting spirit clawing its way out, he let out a booming laughter and continued his escort, but made sure to restart the conversation to his liking. “Let me guess, and please tell me if I’m wrong: You were some great prized possession that finally got free from her prison and now Sera is responsible for you?”

Nadia was surprised, he wasn’t very far off the truth, he missed ninety percent of the important details, but all together that was a fine abridged version of her tale. She did feel like she needed to clear up on the biggest misconception, “Sera isn’t responsible for me.” She held her head high continuing to correct him, “I’m capable of taking care of myself, thank you.”

“Wow.” Aidan looked at her in shock, “You actually believe that?” searching her face for any kind of wavering doubt ended in failure this little slice of ignorance was completely drowned in self-assurance. “Little dove, you’re not serious?” He looked her up and down again was if he was missing something about her. She was so small, he could pick her up and chuck her half a town away and she wouldn’t even have time to react. Why was she so certain she could handle things? “Look, whatever delusion you’re under, trust me, don’t go off on your own.”

He seemed to genuinely have concerned for Nadia, his face held to hers and looked right into her eyes. Again the feeling boiled and Nadia felt herself get more defensive, she didn’t even know this guy and he was wanting to boss her around? “Why do you care? You’re just a demon, so not like you should worry about with me.” She wasn’t going to let herself get caught up in his little moment of clarity, it was sure to be followed with a veiled threat or dire warning.

“Don’t forget,” pointing to himself winking, “Half demon. If I was a full demon I’d have strung your pretty little head by your enticing hair from my window and feasted on your scrawny ass feet first.” He smiled hatefully, but he had to quickly turn away from her before she could see his face blush. He had caused himself to picture feasting on her but it was less out of nutritional hunger and more out of erotic desire. Scratching his horns again he tried to direct his mind to less physical things, but found where Nadia was concerned his emotions were dominating him.

Luckily Nadia in the silence was able to find a way to change the conversation to her favor to learn more about her self-appointed bodyguard, to Aidan’s relief blissfully unaware of the thoughts running through him mind, “Half demon? So that means…” she trailed off waiting for him to pick up the conversation. 

It took him longer than she would have liked to reply, but he did once he realized what she was doing. His thoughts were his own again and he recovered flawlessly leaving all company none the wiser to his previous mental images, “Mother was a human. Father wasn’t, so mathematically, I’m genetically half.” He tossed another wink and smile to her. She didn’t need to know the complete story just yet, that was sure to come later if Sera would add her own twist. “Cute story right?”

“Cute? I wouldn't use that word to describe it.”

“No, but a perfect word to describe you.” He turned back feeling he had given her his life story. Now, it was her turn, she needed to surrender something of herself, but Nadia beat him to the next question.

“Where’s your mother?” She thought back to Sera’s story about the woman who tricked Lucifer, she was sure Aidan was the demon she talked about being born just out of a spiteful attempt to stall his victory, but Sera never finished saying what happened afterward.

“Are we sharing now Dove? Well, let’s hear you for a change.” He looked at her cold and collected, “What are you? A human doesn’t cover it. Your eyes, they are full of something.” He sniffed the air trying to find the answer before Nadia could misdirect him, “It’s- I just can’t put my finger on it. Something about you.” He had searched himself to find what he was feeling. The part of him he wanted Nadia to see was repulsive. The other part he didn’t want her to see desired her not just with an uncontrolling impulse but it was a deeper longing something clawing at his insides desperately wanting to grab her, wrap his arms tight to hold her as close as possible, and keep her safe. He was sure it was that cursed human half he had suppressed for so long, years of neglect he wasn’t able to fully understand it but he sure as hell wasn’t going to surrender himself to it without fully knowing what this girl brought to the table.

“Well, thanks.” the answer was sweet with an undertone of annoyance, “You’re equally repulsive to me.” She didn’t want to answer him, she certainly wasn’t fully put together on what she was and if she told him what Sera told her she didn’t know how he would react. 

“Don’t you try that little trick on me dove.” 

Nadia looked at him innocent but she knew she was caught, she was trying to deflect the conversation, but he wasn’t going to fall for it. He looked at her with a different confused and suppressed emotion Nadia couldn’t quite figure out. She had to give him something, he looked at her and she knew she needed to answer him. She couldn’t say she was human, he already knew she wasn’t. The next thing stormed into her mind, it wasn’t the truth by any means, but maybe he wasn’t well versed in what she was about to say. “I’m a medjay. So you know, better not cross me.” 

He leaned his head back into his hands and stayed silent, he knew she was lying, he knew on so many levels why she couldn’t be, but for some reason, she seemed to not have enough knowledge to understand the impossibility. He guessed it was going to be up to him to inform her of the terrible news. “I want to tell you a story. That way you know that I know what I know.” He stopped a little confused by his own turn of phrase but shook his head and continued, “Unfortunately little dove you’re not medjay. Some news I’m sure you are completely shocked by. Years ago I watched the last one sold out to a demon who last I checked lived pretty far away. You: my little ice crystal are far too…” he searched for the word to be the least offensive and had to settle, “Albino.” content with the sufficient lack of offense he rambled on to a less delicate way of putting her physique, “Not to mention skimpy, naive, and definitely not battle proficient. Medjay are far better built for battle than you who if you were only a little more graceful could pass for a dancer. So unless you little flower had a very jarring last couple of years that left you flayed completely with a full skin transplant I would have to say you are certainly not medjay. Now, as informative as that was that you know about them, I’m still waiting for you to tell me what you are.” He stopped and looked back eyes glaring, “Last chance dove, answer me honestly. What are you?”

Nadia was quickly learning she was not in any sense a good liar. She couldn’t tell him what she was, not with this look he was throwing at her. He was getting angry, and it seemed like a different kind of anger than what he had shown her. Sure she had Maat get mad at her and she felt herself blow a gasket every once and awhile, but this it struck her very soul. It warned her not to tempt him further. “Would you believe me if I told you I was still discovering what I was?”

He shrugged turning around, “Seems the most logical of everything you have said until this point. Why would Seraphine the Beheader take interest in you?” wasting no time in keeping himself in control of the conversation he pressed for more information.

Nadia smirked at the nickname. It certainly fit the little girl surrounded by mountains of bodies all headless. It seemed that she was proficient with the act, “I guess lost souls are her specialty.”

“We’re almost back to her place.” He didn’t acknowledge her little remark, he just dropped the conversation altogether, “You’re cute dove, but a little too cute for your own good.” He smiled at her glad he was able to switch the conversation on his terms. He wasn’t going to let it go back to him, he felt content that he had given just as much information if not more than Nadia so it was time to change the topic. 

Nadia wasn’t too interested in making him continue to share details. He had completely dominated that conversation and she was just too unprepared to get into a battle of wits against him. Lingering effects of that little romantic plunder were finally fading and she was starting to gain a second wind of confidence in her own prowess. Finally, she was starting to think clearly. He was a demon, true just a half demon, but there was something about him that seemed to call her. Nadia was unsure what that call was for, but it was enticing. She had to stay on her toes to make sure she wasn’t going to fall head over heels for his little gentleman act. He tossed those little affectionate remarks to her but they were always followed by something to push her away. 

He could sense she was conflicted. Aidan knew he felt something for her, he wanted to meet Sera about it, but he was sure if Nadia in all her naivety wasn’t willing to divulge any information Sera was going to remain tight-lipped on it as well. Still, the girl pulled him in, she gave him a desire he never felt before, it was calming. His heart felt the storm being lifted but he just couldn’t bring himself to allow it to disappear completely. He sensed she was growing immune to his charm but with that, he was growing weaker to her will. His fun was about to run out and she was the closest he had ever come to actually fooling someone into feeling anything other than anger for him. It was refreshing and short lived.