I smiled, watching the scene below. The air tasted a tangy sweet. The rough feeling of bark on my fingers as I traced the symbol nervously. Two young children played in the yard below. Two boys to be specific. "Tag you're it!" the smaller of the two shrieked, tapping the other one's shoulder. He then scampered away, the other one hot on his tail. I smiled, a cruel, desolate smile. The happiness emanated from them. The innocence. The ignorance. So bitter sweet. As I sat, relaxed, back against the base of the tree, legs sprawled, hands firmly grasping the sides of the thick branch. I took my time. No rush. It was midday. I'd been observing these people. The young baby-sitter was here. The parents would not be home until nightfall. I smiled again, if you could call my contorted mouth twisted into a devious smirk-like form, a smile. I scanned the scene below. A small, suburban neighborhood lay before me. Tidy well-kept laws and carefully trimmed and pruned hedges and flowerbeds of a dull variety. Occasionally the tasteless pink flamingo or artificially colorful pinwheels and gnomes. The houses themselves didn't vary much from a solid, dull yellow. Occasionally a light blue home or a dark orange color. A very homely feeling came to from the entire area. The particular tree I was sitting in was in the backyard of the home adjacent to the home of the family. In the yard, was a standard tree house, that fit snuggly in the nook of the large birch tree. On a low hanging, sturdy branch sat a tire swing. A girl, about the age of 15 or so, sat, vigilant to her two energetic charges, sitting on the patio in a comfortable looking lawn chair. She was nothing special. Rather plain looking. She had long legs, obviously spray tanned. She wore extremely revealing, jean shorts and a strapless shirt, cutting off at her navel, and accenting her chest. I had little next to no doubt her chest was fake. She had sandy blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and far too much makeup on. Your classic popular girl. I smiled my not-smile. Show time.
I jumped from the low branch I was sitting on and brushed off anything that had landed on me. I knew my part. I knew my goal. I walked into the home. I walked slowly to the bathroom. My face was impeccable. I looked charming. My perfectly messed up brown hair, clean face, bright green eyes, I was the boy next door. Literally.I strode out of the home, calm and easy. Hands in pocket, a slight swaying as I walked, swagger. I chuckled. I gallantly strode up to the door and knocked. The girl answered. Her eyes sparked in interest as her eyes did a once-over on me. I just grinned a false goofy grin. I'm a fairly decent actor, if I do say so myself.
She had the nasal voice I imagined she would. She let me in easily. I felt the unmistakable pull of the symbol. I smiled somewhat wolfishly. I stared at the symbol every time I closed my eyes. The symbol was three intertwined circles. In the center a black square rested. A small white triangle was in the middle. I was yet to be told what it meant,but I could feel it calling me. But something would always pull me back. I cursed. The yearning to do what I couldn't tugged at my heart. Suddenly, pain lashed through my mind as I was pulled into a painful vision. I desperately tried to pull away. But I couldn't. I gagged. I was in a hazy place, my feet rocked slightly. The air was heavy and filled with a foul stench. I gagged once more, wondering what the hell was this awful stench. A man wearing a heavy, rough wool coat hobbled across my path. He was young, around twenty, with old, wise, sage eyes. He smiled at me, as if he could see me. But I knew far too well that the people couldn't see me. It seemed midday, but it was quite difficult with the heavy fog to tell. I followed this curious young man.
I realized I was on a dock, judging by the smell, fresh water, lake. It was quite confusing, so many people hustling and bustling, places to be, people to see. But I kept my target. Suddenly he was pulled into a dark alley. I followed. An ogre-like man loomed over him. The awful stench worsened and I felt like puking but I held my breath and watched. The man held him by the back of his coat like a kitten. Unlike a mother cat, he slammed the young man against the wall. The young man looked back calmly into his small, beady, vacant eyes. "Octavius...you...must...die...mortals...cannot...know...you...are...not...WORTHY...OF LIFE!!" he roared and the young man, Octavius, just smiled at his putrid breath. "Perhaps, Ifgahn, perhaps. But, if I am not worthy, why am I alive now?" he said smoothly, his accent had a tinge of welsh in it. He looked directly at me and whispered, "Do not fail us my lord...take the path your heart leads you to. I trust...-" suddenly the ogre man slammed Octavius to the ground, dragging him like a rag doll. Blood seeped through his thick coat and left an awful trail he spat out blood and looked at me with hopeful eyes. "Remember the secret lies with in the black sea..." then fell limp. I heard a sickening crunch. I knew he was dead...I backed up...the world was spinning...I fell on my behind and pain lashed through my body once more. My vision blurred, then focused. The girl was looking at me, her eyes filled with real concern. I was laying on a worn, overstuffed, comfortable indigo couch. I blinked, forgetting where I was momentarily, then it crashed back on to me. I looked at the girl, who was sitting on her knees beside the couch, the little kids both looking at me curiously. I focused on the girl and shot her a crooked grin. She looked at me unsurely. "Are you okay?" I smiled, using my most charming voice, I said, "I'm fine...I was just so struck by your beauty." her face reddened a bit and she twirled a loose lock of hair. Good. She was interested. I ran my fingers delicately over her arm, scarcely touching it. I felt her shiver. I leaned forward a little. She didn't move back. I let my lips just graze her neck. All I needed to do...just take it. She closed her eyes. So tantalizingly simple. I breathed. I couldn't do it. The human in me fought the demon mercilessly. I backed off.
She sighed in disappointment. I whispered for the Lord to forgive me. I had failed. I sat up. The larger of the two strode up to me. "You should go home mister.” he said authoritatively. "You're right kid, I forgot why I came here anyways, um...I'll just go home.” "Wait...-”the girl pulled out a pen from her back pocket and scrawled a number on the back of my hand. "Call me.”she said with a wink. I shrugged dismissively and walked out the door, thinking.‘ I can't believe she actually fell for that cheesy line...what an idiot.' I grinned as I entered the home. I didn't know why. Then I saw her.
She was slender and athletic with an amazing body. She had short cropped, auburn hair that just reached the small of her back. Her dark, almond shaped, green eyes sparkled intelligently. She wore a loose t-shirt and appropriate-length, jean shorts. She sat in my father's leather recliner. I tried to stop my pounding heart. Full demons are insanely good-looking. You'd think I'd get used to it by now, but no. I looked at her. She walked up to me, running her fingers over my neck. Demons were seductive. They had to be. This one was no exception. I, was a filthy half-breed, not fit to take a demon as a wife. One of the reasons I was still a virgin, I couldn't stand how ugly full humans were. But this demon, Belle, was the exception. She was my step-sister, par say. Trying to calm my raging hormones, I stood stock-still, hands in pockets. She pressed against me, her breath sweet. I swallowed, barely able to contain my urges. I bit my lip, then did something forbidden. I tackled her passionately planting my mouth on hers. Being a demon, she could've snapped my neck like a toothpick and thrown me out of the atmosphere, but she didn't. I felt my hands travel naturally, exploring freely. But, once more, I couldn't do it. I disentangled myself from her and ran to my room, slamming the door, bolt shutting it, and hung the bronze wreath that burned my hands slightly. I embraced the pain. Bronze is the armor of the Knights of Delphoria. The only people who knew how to kill a demon.