The Demon's Maid

In Search Of: A Fight

Blood dripped onto his face and he looked up from his vantage point on the floor. What he saw would be etched into his mind forever and make his demon rage and his blood boil at the mere memory. Clover stood over him like a shield, blood running down her left leg and Luca shoving a dagger into her shoulder just below her collar bone. Her blood curdling scream made him struggle against his restraints and his eyes bled red at Luca's laughter.

He kept his attention solely on her, slowly losing control of himself in the process. Clover's scream cut off and she let out a yell and raised her bad arm and shoved Luca far away from her. She crouched down and grabbed hold of his hand and shouted, "Movere!" Braith felt a dizzying, blurry sensation and then they were on the other side of the room, hiding behind a large set of crates. Clover quickly cut the ropes on his arms and legs, burning them and then he heard her utter a phrase he didn't understand. "Pask praesentiam et abscondere nos ab omni prying oculos."

Once he was free and the strange phrase uttered, Clover fell to her knees, panting and struggling to hold herself up. Seeing the woman he loved, knowing she was a race he despised, Braith was so conflicted on what to do. He loved her, with every fiber of his being, but could he really look past his hatred and loathing to help her?

"You...I'm sorry..." Clover interrupted his thoughts and she slowly looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. Seeing those tears, his heart broke and he knelt down-ignoring his pain-and wiped them away. "You don't have to force yourself, brat. I can feel your disgust and hatred..." She muttered, turning her head away.

"What are you sorry for, Clover?" He asked, ignoring her comment. If she could feel his hatred, could she also sense his love as well?

"I'm sorry my spell couldn't fully protect you. I'm sorry that you ended up like this. And," she met his eyes and he saw so much regret and self-loathing within them that he felt like his lungs were being squeezed, unable to breathe, "I'm sorry that I've lied to you."

"Clover..I.." he grunted and sat back, his world spinning and blood seeping through his suit.

"Enough talk, I will heal you and then I will take care of this. I should have seen the signs that Luca was still alive and killed him, but I didn't. And now it is my burden to carry to defeat him." Her eyes and palm glowed red and she gently pressed her hand to his chest before speaking softly. "Sana omnes vulnera." Bright light weaved around Braith like vines and he watched in awe as wherever Clover's power touched, warmth spread through his body and a sense of peace overwhelmed him. He felt his wounds slowly knit together and heal until they were no more and his bleeding completely stopped.

Moaning softly, Clover fell back, panting heavily. The magic around them wavered and faded and Braith heard Luca's cackling laughter float around them. "There you are!" Luca shouted, lunging at them over the crate wall. Blindingly fast, Clover was up on her feet and shouting. She held up her palm and Luca stopped mid-air, coming in contact with a golden shield. "Awe c'mon! Put up more of a fight! You can't protect him forever!"

"You're right, I can't. I just need to protect him long enough from you!" Shoving Luca and moving to guard him, Clover chanted and Braith was suddenly enveloped in a soft, blue light and he could hear Luca's anguished yell.

"Damn you, you bitch! How do you know how to cast an absolute! YOU SHOULD BE OUT OF POWER BY NOW!" Braith watched the two clash, sparks flying from weapons, arrows and bursts of pure magical power clattering through the air, causing irreparable damage to the store room. He didn't know what he could do for her now. How could he do anything? If he attempted any type of help, it would just be a distraction for her.

Braith...we must do something! Our mate is in danger! LOOK! His demon roared and as Braith watched Clover, she was hit by a blast and thrown back so hard she crashed through the wall, leaving a crater in the ground and the wall crumbling in her wake. She was panting and bloody, losing blood fast from the daggers still embedded in her.