SHE

Chapter 2

Ares and I stood before the portal to the surface of the Earth. His bags packed beside him whilst I had no luggage at all. My mother and father kissed me on the cheek goodbye before we walked through.
We were in an apartment as to not draw too much attention to ourselves. It was a small cozy apartment covered in pot plants with an amazing view of the city.
Ares and I both picked our rooms and I sat in mine fiddling with a golden ring on my finger. It was a single vine of flowers wrapped multiple times.
"That's a pretty ring." Ares said leaning in the doorway.
"Thank you, it was a parting gift."
"From your parents?"
"No, they would've given me a golden snake instead of flowers. It's from a Faerie."
"Hyun?"
"Yes."
"You told me to pack a bag but yet you didn't pack any at all."
"I don't have any clothes that are appropriate for the human world. Which reminds me, I need to go shopping." I said standing up off my bed and walking past Ares.
"Are you coming?" I turned around and asked.
"So what is Hyun to you?" Ares asked.
"Someone." I said sliding hangers and checking out outfits.
"What type of someone?"
"Why do you ask so many questions?"
"Maybe because you never really give me a straight answer."
"Watch your tongue. We may not be in Hell but you still need to watch your tone when addressing me." I said grabbing the outfits and swinging them over my arm.
"Sorry, Her Highness."
"You don't have to call me that. Hyun and I aren't anything formal."
"Why is that?"
"We're forbidden." I said paying for the clothes and then walking out of the mall.
As soon as I got back it was already evening and we needed to catch demons. The sooner I send them back the sooner I can leave this place.
"Ares get up and let's go." I said walking into his room. He was laying in his bed as if he were about to fall asleep. His gazed scanned me from top to bottom. I was in a red tennis skirt, black turtleneck with black knee high socks matched with red bottom heels.
"Where are we going? It's midnight."
"The hour is unholy and we're here to catch demons so put on some clothes and let's get to it." I said walking out of his room.
Ares walks down the stairs fully dressed and we begin walking.
"Do you know where we're going to find these demons?" He asked.
"Not necessarily, we're both supernatural beings therefore we can see them, humans can't."
"So we're just going to walk around and let them come to us."
"Technically since they were created by my mother and Hellfire I should be able to feel them, but I don't have much practice with that."
"Walking it is then. Are we allowed to talk on this walk?"
"Why wouldn't we be? I'm not my father."
"True."
"But I can be worse than him if need be. I've been kind to you Ares, more so than I have been to any other Fallen or Demon, don't make me regret it."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
"Good, because I'm not someone you want as your enemy."
"Is that a threat?"
"I don't make threats. I give a warning. Fail to obey and well, let's hope you never find that out."
"Got it."
"Any new friends?"
"You want to know if I have any friends?"
"I guess I do."
"Well from Heaven I didn't really have much. Just one. He was exiled and thrown down to hell for contacting a human."
"The love of his life?"
"Something like that. You don't believe in love?"
"Now that he's a Fallen you've seen him right?"
"No, I haven't really. I've made a friend of two here there with a few of The Fallen but nothing as concrete as what I had with Johnathan Hailmary."
"So he was your best friend?"
"Why are you avoiding my question."
"What question."
"Do you believe in love?"
As Ares asked again I started getting an urgent feeling in my chest pulling my eyes to the left. Where I saw a Demon dragging a human into a dark alley.
"Looks like your question is going to have to wait." I said pointing towards its direction and we began running.
As we reached the alley the Demon was just about finished feasting on the human and tossed his body to the side.
Demons are enormous creatures. Two horns on their heads, glowing orange eyes (no pupil or white just orange light), skin with the texture of fiery lava, talons on each finger and toe.
"You disobeyed Lucifer's orders for Earth. You can either come with us willingly and it will be taken into consideration at your sentencing or choose to battle and be sentenced with by full wrath of Hell." I shouted at it in a frequency it could understand.
It looked at me then to Ares and grunted. A low evil sound escaped its mouth and it charged with full strength at is swiping its claws grazing Ares skin.
I withdrew my shadow whip, the only weapon able to capture a demon.
Ares drew out his sword and the sound of it clashing with the Demons talons rang the the air. They were locked in the position of Ares sword pushing up at the Demons claws but the Demon was overpowering him and pushing him down to the ground. I grabbed throwing knives and the pierced through the Demons arm causing it to jolt back.
"Wings!" I shouted at Ares and he transformed. I heard him screaming from the pain but there was no time to help him. I grabbed his sword and pushed it through the demons torso.
Ares took to the sky and with his wings and feet pushed the Demon down to the ground. The Demon dug it's lengthy talons into my thigh and black blood oozed from my skin.
"Grab its legs!" I shouted at Ares and he pulled hard. The Demon crashed down. I wrapped the whip around it's neck and began to squeeze tight until the Demon turned into no more than smoke.
"Where'd it go?" Ares asked.
"Back to hell."
When we arrived back I got the first aid kit and began to clean up Ares.
"Your wound looks deeper than mine, maybe you should clean it up first." He said looking and my thigh stained black with blood.
"I'll live, so will you." I said cleaning up his cuts.
"They're quite shallow, they'll be gone when you wake up." I said tossing him his shirt.
I sat in the couch and began to work on mine.
I wiped away all the blood but it kept spilling out the holes left in my thigh.
"Nuria, those look very deep."
"They'll heal in a couple hours I just need to stop the bleeding."
"A couple hours? Days maybe but not hours, I'm not even going to be fully healed in a couple hours."
"I heal faster than you." I replied pulling off his belt and placing it in my mouth between my teeth.
I placed a finger on each of the wounds and fire burst through my fingers as I grunted biting hard on the belt. Ares winced his face for my pain. Once I was done I took a few deep breaths, pulled away my fingers and the belt then cleaned my thigh for the last time. All that was left was four circles burned into my skin.
"You can relax. There won't even be a scar in the morning." I said patting Ares and walking away.
"You still haven't answered my question." He said with his back to me then turned around for the answers. I was already halfway up the stairs.
"Yes, I believe in love." I said and continued to walk.
"Why?" Ares asked and I sighed and leaned against the railing.
"Love and hate drive everything. They're the only motives for everything anyone ever does, the decisions we make, the reasons we get up in the morning. The world is a horrible place, we all have the inner need to put our faith into something or someone."
"You're not answering my question. Why do you believe in love?"
I paused.
"Everybody needs someone. Even the devil." I said heading to bed. I lay there staring at the ceiling scenarios running through my head.
The next day I made myself a cup of coffee and sat by the counter sipping it slowly in deep thought.
"Good morning." Ares said jumping down the stairs and making breakfast.
"You look chipper." I said taking another sip of my coffee.
"Well, it's a new day and I had an amazing idea."
"Do tell."
"I'm sensing your sarcasm but I'm not going to let your negative energy drown my positivity. We should go on a game drive."
"Why?"
"Well you like animals and we need to get out of the house."
"I'm perfectly fine with a day in."
"Come on."
"Fine." I rolled my eyes.
"Great." He said passing me a plate of food.
We arrived at the game park and it was amazing honestly.
"Maybe Ares isn't all that bad after all." I thought to myself as I laughed at one of the few jokes he made on the drive. Even some of the other people around us were secretly cracking up too.
"You're smiling and laughing. I've never seen you do that." Ares said.
"Shut up." I replied playfully pushing him away.
I've just always loved animals more than people, Demons, Angels, Fallen. Like I had a deeper connection with them.
The drive was almost over and we were on our way back when a lion was roaring loud and prowling a lot closer to everyone than one ever had before.
The game rangers tried to calm it down but it just wouldn't stop roaring. It's roar was full of pain and fury. The game rangers were about to shoot it with something when I ran up to the lion. Everyone was shouting for me to get back but instead I placed my hand on the lions head. I noticed the huge thorn lodged inside its jaw.
"Easy, easy." I whispered calming her down then quickly I pulled the thorn out and jumped back so she wouldn't hurt me when reacting to the pain. Then cautiously I calmed her down again.
"You should probably get going before you scare anyone else." I jokingly whispered and the lioness kicked my face and slowly walked away.
All the rangers put their guns down as everyone clapped for me. I walked back over to Ares who was leaning against the railing as his eyes followed me.
"And what made you think it wouldn't have mauled you alive?" Ares asked.
"Nothing, I just saw something in her."
"And what was that?"
"Myself." I said walking away to the restaurant.
"Are you coming?" I shouted back and Ares laughed a little before getting off the railing.
"I'll have the meaty combo and a chocolate milkshake." I ordered.
"Will that be for the both of you?" The waiter asked.
"Just me."
"Are you sure ma'am?"
"Yes I'm sure."
"So pork ribs, chicken wings, beef burger, back bacon and chicken strips?" The waiter asked again.
"With fries and a chocolate milkshake." I nodded.
"What would you like sir?"
"Medium rare steak with a coke." Ares responded. The waiter gave us both a nod and walked away.
My phone started buzzing on the table.
"I'll be right back." I said grabbing the phone and temporarily walking outside.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey Firefly."
"Hyun?"
"Did I catch you at the wrong time?"
"No, actually your timing is perfect. How are you?"
"I'm missing you, just a bit."
"I offered for you to come with me."
"And be executed on my return?"
"Fair point."
"I miss your back rubs and you scratching my head and playing with my hair."
"You sound like what a dog would say if they could talk."
"Technically they can talk. I taught you how to listen."
"Yeah, I remember. I actually used that to save a lioness today."
"You? Save?"
"I can be sympathetic."
"As well as ruthless. Like a thorny rose."
"I suppose."
"Can't wait to see you."
"Neither can I, but I have to go now."
"Like always."
"Don't be like that."
"I'm not being like anything."
"Hyun."
"It's fine. Goodbye Firefly."
"Bye."