Belial - a fateful night (Vol.1) ✅

Chapter 26

Before they set off for San Francisco, they stopped briefly at Aleks' apartment and packed the essentials for their journey. Aleks' mobile phone and headphones weren't allowed to be missed. Six hours in the car without music? Not me.

Belial stepped out for a moment, leaving Aleks in the apartment. While he was gone, Aleks prepared them a packed lunch. He then closed all of the shutters and turned off the water after using the toilet. They didn't know how long they would be gone, so he wanted to make sure everything was in order before they left.

He texted Rika and Zack that he would be leaving indefinitely - in case, they visited his abandoned apartment and were worried. He also didn't know if there would be any reception where they were going and he simply didn't want to make them worry unnecessarily.

Rika responded with a picture of her at the beach holding a cocktail while Zack didn't reply. He probably hadn't read the message yet.

The door was opened announcing Belial's return. He had a long black bag in his hand, which he placed next to him. "Are you ready?"

Aleks nodded and took up his backpack which was filled with food and drinks.

"Of course. We can leave." His gaze drifted down to the black bag.

"This is emergency baggage. I'll show you when we've arrived."

They both left the apartment and Aleks stopped at the entrance. He paused for a second and looked back at his apartment because he felt like they wouldn't be returning anytime soon. So, he had packed a photo of himself and his friends, as well as the nuns. He closed the door with a sigh and followed Belial to the car.

Six hours and 392 miles later, the San Francisco hills slowly came into view. Aleks had fallen asleep with his headphones on while they drove. At the beginning of the trip, he had put them on and had leaned against the windowpane. Without knowing it, he had quietly sung along to his music, which Belial found more than cute since Aleks had a pleasant voice. Now he missed the soft tones of his mate but didn't want to awaken him for this reason.

When they finally reached the outskirts of San Francisco, he woke up Aleks who looked at him with sleepy eyes and a tousled hair. "Did we arrive?" he asked, yawning heartily.

"Yes, Tsuka, it didn't take long."

"Where exactly does this Ariana actually live?"

"It's been a while since I've met her, but I think she lives in a park on the edge of the city, in the Candlestick Point State Recreation Area."

Aleks had been to San Francisco a few times before and as far as he knew, this was a public park. "How can she live in a public park without it being noticed?" he asked his demon, confused.

"Ariana could also build a villa and live in the middle of Times Square in New York without anyone noticing, after all, she is one of the most powerful demons using seal magic. People can't see or approach her property and house," Belial said to an impressed Aleks.

"But if she is so powerful, why does she live on earth?"

"Power is always associated with responsibility. She no longer wanted to do any tasks for higher-ranking demons. She just wanted to travel and look for treasures. But the superiors seemed to think this was a waste of her talent. So, she packed her things and moved into the human world where she no longer had to cater to their whims."

"Do you have to cater to their whims when you're in hell?" Aleks asked him.

"More or less. If Astaroth had an order for me, I had to do it promptly." This seemed plausible to Aleks.