Dancing With the Devil

Chapter 9

Dante's P.O.V.

"So you're lookin' to play, huh?" I drawl out half-heartedly, sitting back in the pew as I hold my blade out in front of me in the kid's direction. "Alright, I guess I got some time to kill."

Pun fully intended, I think smugly to myself.

"Tough guy, huh?" the kid says, picking up the sword I'd knocked from his hand earlier, turning his back on me. "Well..."

With a loud Hyup!, he kicks a stray pew straight at me. I stand from my less-than-comfy seat and leap into the air, clashing blades with him before landing where he had stood a few moments before. My eye catches a glimpse of Rose peering out at me from behind a pillar. Hearing the heavy clunking of more pews behind me, I only have enough time to give her a scolding glare, hoping she gets the message. When I turn back to the kid, I scoff quietly. He's precariously balanced himself in the very top seat of a pew mountain, his sword draped over his shoulder in the same way I'm holding Rebellion.

"I think I'll have to take you down a couple notches," he says with a small grin.

"Whatever you say, kid," I grumble up at him.

He scoffs while he leaps from his seat and lands directly in front of me, drawing his right arm back. As he thrusts forward with a right hook, I block with the flat side of Rebellion. The force of his punch sends me flying across the church cathedral for the third time. Next thing I know, he's got me pinned to the ground - so he thinks - and is delivering one punch after another to my jaw. It doesn't really hurt all that much, but it sure as hell is starting to piss me off. I have a momentary struggle with my demon, managing to keep him down, although one of my arms flickers dangerously from demon to human several times. Thankfully, the punching stops as the kid grabs me by the collar of my shirt, drags me in a full circle, then biffs me at the statue of my father. My back hits the stone quite hard, knocking the breath out of me, and before gravity can even reach out to my body and pull it down, my own sword is driven straight through my chest, pinning me there.

Alright, I think to myself with a sharp exhale, letting myself fall limply over my blade, giving off the appearance of being dead. Time to plant some seeds here.

As the kid turns around, having technically both lost and won our little "friendly sparring match", I take as deep a breath as I can, considering my own sword is embedded in my chest.

"Getting better," I rasp out, making him turn on his heel, mouth agape and at a loss for words. "I would even go as far as to say that I underestimated your..." I push myself forward, freeing my blade from the statue as I jump down onto solid ground again. "Abilities."

"You aren't human, are you?" the kid says hesitantly, though it comes out as more of a statement than a question.

"We're the same," I explain, panting heavily as I draw my sword from my chest. "You and... I."

I rest the point of my sword against the marble flooring, gesturing with one hand to the masked demons that I had dispatched of earlier.

"And them."

While the kid has his back turned to me, I take a standing leap straight up into the air, sitting on the edge of the pane of stained glass I broke through when I first arrived.

"Though I suspect you carry something different from the others," I continue bluntly, slightly amused by his shocked and confused expression when he looks up at me.

"What are you talking about?" he demands, frustrated.

"You will come to learn the meaning soon enough," I answer vaguely, standing up and turning to leave. "But... business beckons."

I've taken no more than one step out of his sight when I hear the kid shout after me, firing a shot from his double barrel revolver to further catch my attention. Leaning over the edge, I give him a sarcastic two-finger salute.

"Adios, kid."

I leap down from the chapel roof, my demon instantly picking up Rose's scent, which I waste no time in following. When I do find her, she's holding herself in a protective manner, avoiding eye contact. I can literally see the guilt written out in her body language, which settles most of my anger and irritation. My eyes linger on the double-edged longsword strapped to her back, which made her look even more like me than when I first met her about a month ago. In all honesty, it suited her, but it still kinda pissed my off that someone was trying to copy my style... Even if it was an extremely hot babe.

"Let's hear it," I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I was worried about you," she stammers, her voice quivering.

"And you couldn't wait at the shop and worry about me there?" I press on, keeping my voice calm and low.

Rose opens her mouth to reply when her right arm glows bright red. I may only know very little about her so far, but if there's one thing I do know, that means trouble. She takes off at an all out sprint back in the direction of her shop, cursing like a sailor. I run beside her, curious as to what exactly it is that's causing this reaction from her. My question is answered when we turn a corner, her shop coming into view. The guy I'd been about to kill before the kid put a stop to me is standing in front of Rose's shop, accompanied by his sister. He spots us immediately and I draw Rebellion, not breaking stride when Rose scolds me and grabs on to my tailcoat as I pick up my pace. I'm just within striking distance when Rose kicks off my back and swings around to my front side, which causes me to spin on my heel and fall backwards. The instant I hit the ground, she drives her double edged longsword through my chest and then she leaves me there to go and casually greet both of her guests.

""I's so sorry about him," Rose apologizes to them while I slowly get up, her sword still embedded in my chest.

"What is it with people impaling me with swords and tossing me around like a rag doll?" I ask loudly, feeling a sharp stab of irritation when all three of them enter Rose's shop without so much as a glance in my direction.