Shadowed Light

Heartless

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

Silence.

Clara kept her eyes on her plate the entire meal, afraid that if she looked up she would break down into a fit of sobs. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her. Perhaps the fact that she had come face to face with a hell demon, or because Vanessa was still freaking eye groping Toby.

He seemed completely oblivious, his orange eyes fixed on the half eaten meal in front of him. His jaw was set, his shoulders tense. Clara wondered whether if she touched him, would he feel as hard as stone?

"Well aren't you all talkative this evening." Vanessa said in a bored tone. She turned to Ralph who was seated across from Clara. Clara had tried more than once to try an ask him if he was alright with her eyes. Every Time however, he'd look away or pretend he hadn't seen her. It was so frustrating!

"Ralph, please tell Clara about what it was like being a healer." Vanessa said, playing with her spoon in that annoying seductive way of hers.

When Ralph said nothing, Vanessa's little demon minion kicked him forcefully under the table. He cried out, gritting his teeth against the pain. Clara was fairly certain her heart split in two.
"Speak." Vanessa spat, her eyes glowing with power.

When Ralph still said nothing, the minion lifted his hand to back hand him across the face. Ralph's whole body tensed, waiting for the blow.

"Stop!" Clara suddenly cried, jumping to her feet and grabbing a girl from the table. Silence fell and every eye on. The table snapped to her. Toby seemed to plead with his eyes for her to sit down. But she remained standing, shooting daggers at the demon with his hand still raised and holding the fork ready to strike.

Vanessa lifted a hand, an evil smile on her beautiful face. "Stand down."

The demon did as he was told and went blank of face once again.

Vanessa regarded Clara with sudden interest. Clara preferred being ignored.

"Perhaps I was wrong." She muttered before standing herself. She slowly walked around the table, past Clara who was staring at her not quite sure what to do next, then came upon Toby and rested her hands on his shoulders. Clara's eyes widened and her hands shook with rage.

Vanessa rose a delicate dark eyebrow. "I see I've hit a soft spot. What are you going to do, Clara?"
Clara barred her teeth like an animal, shocking herself. Where did that come from.

When Clara said and did nothing but stare, Vanessa turned Toby's head to the side with sudden force and kissed him straight on the mouth. The kiss was slow and deep and Clara felt her mouth drop open and tears well to her eyes when Toby pulled Vanessa closer, then Vanessa pulled away to face Clara, any earlier kindness gone. "Remember your place, batie." She spat in her face. "I am the devil and I can do what I want when I want. Got it?"

Clara nodded, her body numb with pain.
Vanessa smiled and released her. "Good." She patted her cheek and Clara had to refrain from growling again. "Good girl."

Vanessa turned to the whole table. "This dinner is over. Roland, you will show our guests to their rooms for the night, I'm done with them for now. We will speak of the reason you are here in the morning. Sweet dreams."

She sauntered off as if she hadn't just threatened Clara and kissed Toby moments before. Clara stared at where she left before storming after Roland.
"Clara!" She heard Toby shout. "Clara wait!"

Through Clara's anger, she had walked down the wrong corridor, loosing Roland the demon minion. She screamed in frustration and turned around, slamming into a wall of flesh.
She looked up into burning orange eyes, her breaths coming out in pants.

"Go away." She snapped. "I don't want-"

She was cut off when Toby pressed his lips to hers. At first she froze, then began to move his lips in sync with his, not caring that she was mad and her first ever kiss would be in the Devils home. She ran her hand through his hair and kissed him back.