Demon's Blood

Echoes of Love

The voice stops laughing and silence blankets my body and soul. The darkness begins to lift, taking my most of my fear with it. I scramble to my feet and gaze around me. White as far as I can see, with one recognizable figure curled into a ball on the ground a few feet away.

Koa.

I rush to the limp body on the ground, pulling his arms from his face and laying him spread eagle on the floor. I kiss him as his eyes flutter open and his lips respond, moving slowly against mine. He clutches at my body, as if to make sure I am really there, alive and breathing.

I cut off the kiss and pull him to his feet. We stand back to back, scanning the endless world of white. The man materializes to my right and I spin to face him, taking up a fighting stance. He laughs and glances amusingly at the two of us.

I huff and cross my arms, taking a more casual position. The dark angel lifts his arms and images begin to appear around us. The girl and her mother from the orchard appear directly in front of us. They stand before us for a moment, my vision replaying again in front of me this time.

Then the wounds appear out of nowhere and they collapse to the ground. As they fall, two more figures appear in my peripheral vision, ones I hadn't remembered. Koa takes a deep breath and whispers to me.

"What is going on?"

The angel's deep voice echoes through the white.

"Yes, why don't you tell him my dear?"

Koa whirls and stares at me as the two figures fall and three more appear.

"What is going on?"

He repeats himself. I gulp and hide my face behind my hair. The angel responds from in front of us.

"These are scenes that I am taking from your little demon's memories. This is her... work."

Koa steps back as more and more people appear and die in front of our eyes. I reach for him, but he is already too far away. Shock and realization flashes through his eyes. My demon senses tickle inside of me and I see the glow beneath Koa's shirt brighten.

He scowls and freezes as the angel appears behind him, whispering in his ear. I take a moment to watch the beings around me fall and let the guilt surge through me. I clasp a hand over my mouth as I see them multiply. I squeeze my eyes shut as I realize what I have done. I turn my attention back to Koa and shock surges through me as I see the hatred towards me grow on his features. He speaks as if he has forgotten the times we shared.

"You... you killed all of these people?"

I nod and fear crashes down on my soul. His breathing quickens and I see the angel's pointer finger lift slightly beside him. Koa's scar brightens even more and his knees shake. The demon stirs inside of me and panic fills my stomach. Koa utters the words I had always feared him saying again.

"You are a monster. All of you."

I fall to my knees again and when I talk, my voice is small and quiet.

"No I am not! The demon inside of me is. You love me remember?"

I crawl forward, holidng my hand out to him in desperation. I see the confusion in his eyes and the angel whispers to him again. A glaze forms over his irises and I know he is almost gone. I pick myself up and sprint towards him. I plant my lips on his and whisper through them.

"I love you. Please don't leave me."

He winces and I see crimson blood running down his neck. I panic and then realize it is only a small incision. My nose tingles and I feel the demon rising inside of me at the smell of human blood.

What purpose does that have?

I pull back and notice the demon's finger lift a tad more. Again the same effect. The angel smiles behind Koa and speaks.

"Confused yet?"

I accidentally nod and he lunges forward, pressing me against an invisible wall with his whole body. I squirm as he runs a finger over my lips. I lick them and then realize my mistake. His voice is slick with trickery.

"In this realm, your instincts are heightened and I can continue to raise them at my own will."

He smiles wickedly and flicks his finger up even higher, releasing my body. The blood on my tongue and my heightened instincts summon the demon inside and this time, I can't hold it back. The last thing I see before I turn is Koa's parents being slaughtered right before him and his hatred toward me starting all over again. My vision becomes darker and my skin hardens.

My hair grows longer, turning gold and my clothing melts away, replaced with metal armor. Blood lust surges inside of me and my fingernails sharpen, becoming lethal claws. I scream as wings tear the skin on my shoulder blades apart but my advanced healing mends the wounds quickly. I feel my consciousness start to fade away and try my hardest to hold on.

It is to no avail, and I lose control of my limbs. I watch through uncontrollable eyes as my body rushes towards the only human blood in the room. A blade parries my claws at the last moment possible and my limbs lurch backward. Koa slashes at me, aiming for the unprotected skin that is nearly unnoticeable under the armor.

Surprise fills me until I remember that he has studied me his entire life. I launch myself into the air and the angel supplies Koa with a gun. He shoots at my moving figure, hitting my armor and not making any effect whatsoever. My demonic voice cackles at his weak efforts and dives for him.

At the very moment I know he will be dead, I struggle against the demon and it wavers, the turmoil inside making it falter. Time seems to slow and even though the demon is in control, I still feel the blade pierce my heart.

It ended as quickly as it began.

The scene changes as I fall to the ground beside Koa. It becomes a bed of flowers, their petals no longer white but blue. My deathbed. A deathbed of blood stained flowers. I convert back to my human form, remembering Koa explaining about the blade he carried to kill me with.

As it made it impossible for the demon to take over, so I would be completely helpless as I died. Confusion and pain takes over my dying body as Koa falls to his knees beside me. His face is slack as he stares at mine. When I speak, my voice feels small and insignificant.

"What happened to you?"

He coughs and responds painfully.

"I guess I forgot to tell you. When I kill you I die too, for my mission is completed."

I allow the sadness to take over my features and he laughs softly. He speaks again, taking my hand in his.

"That's okay though, I couldn't live without you. I love you too much."

I grasp his hand and my voice wavers as I say my last words.

"I love you too."

As my heart stops beating, a single tear falls from the corner of my eye.