Demonic Keeper

Chapter Two

Her thin brows knit and he knew he had definitely caught her off guard with his last statement. There was no doubt this was a difficult situation to explain and he felt a little glad she was an understanding and coherent adult and not the lanky child lingering in his vast memory.

She had clearly grown out of her awkward tiny human phase and matured into a ripened fruit ready to be fermented.

However, that wasn't the task at hand, though it wasn't as if he could take her even if he wanted. While this girl was rather tall and held confidence in her high shoulders, he could see the fear in her prominent brown eyes. The fear that was within all humans, some more than others.

And it was in this, and other reasons, he chose to keep his distance from humans.

"Okay, you're clearly insane." Her tone brought his mind away from her features and back to the job he'd been paid to do.

"No, what's foolish is your inability to accept the truth in the answers you wanted."

She began to shake her head, causing a disturbance in the stale air to her rather small apartment. He had done an initial sweep of the home when he'd first arrived to make sure it was secure for her arrival and he noticed just how insignificant the place was. Granted he wasn't judging it based on the office he slept in at the bar but to have downsized from the townhome he knew her parents owned, to living in a borderline scum apartment was...something just didn't add up. He would have to ask her a few questions on how she'd acquired the place and if it was initially her idea to move out.

He hadn't scouted any demonic disturbances within the building which was strange but not uncommon. Harmless lower level demons chose to live in groups such as apartments to shield their scent but Dante's skills were well equipped for such things.

"No." She smiled, though he couldn't find anything comical about the situation. "Come on, that's...actually..." She thought to herself for a moment and became unpredictable. "Actually, that could make a bit of sense."

Dante nodded. "Your family is a part of an organization called The Keepers, whose job is to clean up the mess demons make."

"And what are you?" She asked truly curious.

He had expected that question, just not so soon, but had no problem answering it. She needed to know what her parents had hired to look after her.

"I'm a half-breed. Able to spend my existence resembling a human but with the abilities of my counterparts."

She just stood there and for a moment he thought he could read her mind. She was thinking how impossible this all sounded. As he began to relay his thoughts she cut him off mid-sentence.

"Actually, I was thinking something completely different. Are my brothers...?"

Dante nodded.

She stepped back until her back touched the chilled metal of the refrigerator.

"Why wouldn't they tell me? Did they think I couldn't handle it?"

He shrugged, unsure how to answer her question. He left her alone with her thoughts to go sit on the uncomfortable couch.

She was handling this a lot easier than he'd expected. When she slowly followed him into the room and stood on the other side of him he knew she was going to be an easy assignment.

She was choosing to stick close because she needed answers but not because she was afraid. Maybe it was possible Keepers were naturally fearless.

No, that wasn't true. He'd come across many who were scared shitless of him and any demon they came across. He could smell it on them but not on this girl.