Demon and the Mage (Jeongcheol)

Jeonghan

Oh, this was bad.

I was about to get a front-row seat to what happened when you incurred the wrath of a demon. Honestly, I should feel bad about whatever Seungcheol was about to unleash on the ancient curmudgeon.

Any smidgen of mercy I might've encouraged Seungcheol to show was erased when the crypt-keeper spoke again.

"Homos," he spat, disgust dripping from his tone. "It's unnatural. We don't want you here. You'll end up in Hell. Just mark my words."

Seungcheol's smile grew, and I'd never seen anything more terrifying. "Oh, I definitely will. And I look forward to seeing you there too. You'll learn just how unnatural I am."

The man blustered, and one of the locals stood as though he was coming to defend the barman's...honour wasn't the right word. But clearly, he was on the homophobe train next to the chap now quaking under Seungcheol's attention.

I stepped to the side, intercepting the local. The bloke was a big fella, ruddy-cheeked with thick forearms, which he folded over his chest like that would intimidate me.

I dropped all congeniality from my expression, stepping right into the dickhead's space. "Something I can help you with?"

He sneered, giving me a flash of his yellowed teeth. I suppressed a shudder. If only they believed in dentistry with the same zeal they did homophobia. "Yeah, you can go fuck yourself."

I stepped even closer, the toes of my shoes brushing against his boots, grinning as he stumbled back. "Why would I do that when I've got the big guy over there to do it for me?"

"Jeonghan," Seungcheol barked. I ignored him, not pulling my attention from the idiot whose face was now crimson. Clearly, he was trying to decide between running away so he didn't catch the gay or trying to beat it out of me.

How I hoped he chose the latter. Even without using my powers, I'd be able to deliver the arse-kicking of the century.

Unfortunately, Seungcheol took all the fun away. The man's eyes glazed over as he spun on his heel and walked out of the pub without a backwards glance.

I wheeled on Seungcheol. "What did you do?"

"You're welcome," he grunted with an eye roll.

My temper rose, my hands going to my hips. But before I could say anything, the bartender lost his patience. "Right. That's it. Out, the both of you. I'm not having you here, and I'm certainly not having you running off good god-fearing customers. Now, be off with you before I call the police."

"God isn't the one you need to be fearing. Trust me." With that, Seungcheol grabbed the man by the throat, slamming him against the bar. He scrabbled fruitlessly at Seungcheol's hand, his face turning purple as choked breaths rasped from him. No one else moved to come to his aid. Either Seungcheol was compelling them to stay still, or they wisely realised they were unmatched.

Seungcheol lowered his head to whisper in the man's ear. As Seungcheol spoke, his colour leeched until he was as pale as a ghost. His fingernails stopped clawing at Seungcheol's hold as his hands fell limply to his sides.

Without warning, Seungcheol relinquished his hold on the man, letting him crash to the floor. His hands were shaking as he scrambled backwards, a wet patch spreading over his crotch.

"Room number?" Seungcheol asked mildly.

"Room 4," the man gasped, pointing at a row of keys.

"Great," Seungcheol said, reaching over the bar and grabbing a key from the hook labelled 4. "Glad we could come to that understanding. Remember what I said now."