Flame Inside ✿ Damien and Matthew

Chapter 5

"It didn't take long to find you little shits, after all~!" The cruel voice of a familiar devil rang through the air.

"What the hell?" Thalia mutters, running out of the room to the lobby, Emma right behind her. The incubi followed the girls to find them frozen in a mix of fear and surprise, staring at the door. In the doorway was Malix and Eris, the former with a sadistic smirk on his face and the latter with her arms crossed, indifference clear on her face.

The incubi formed a circle around the girls. "Aww. What's the matter, boys? Did you really think I wouldn't find you?" Malix said in a sadistic tone.

"I hoped you would, you piece of–" Sam was cut off by Malix shooting his gun at Sam's face. They all gasped in shock, expecting to see a bullet run through Sam's face... but...

"What...what the fuck?!" Malix screams in frustration.

"W-wha..." Sam said, sounding just as confused as everyone else. What should have been a headshot ended with a loud but empty blank shot. The pistol echoed its empty shots as the man grew more and more pissed, pulling the trigger over and over in aggravation.

"Why the fuck won't you work?!" Malix roars.

Damien spoke up, "This place is protected."

Malix looked at him and asked, "What did you say, shrimp?"

"This place has a seal, protecting it from hell-borne magic." Damien explained.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Malix growled and threw his gun at Sam, who was able to dodge in time. The pistol bounced off the ground a couple times before sliding further away, hitting the wall in a final stop. As it stopped moving the gun faded into black flames that disappeared into the air.

"The previous owner had this place protected with magic, Malix." Matthew proclaims. Thalia smirked at Malix. Malix's face grew to that of extreme anger, his fist clenching.

"Then what's stopping me from DRAGGING YOUR ASSES OUTSIDE AND SHOOTING YOU THEN?!" Malix yelled.

Thalia stepped forward and glared, "Get the fuck out of my house!" Malix growled at her, walking right up to her and leaning in close to her face. She glared back at him.

Malix began to laugh wildly. "Woah, woah! Who let the bitch out of her cage?! What is this a reverse harem or something?!" Malix laughs. She ducked underneath Malix's incoming hand and grabbed it, flipping Malix onto his back. She kicks Malix in the crotch before running back into the barrier we had formed. The devil recovers from the pain he was in and laughs, "A quick one! I'm liking you more and more!" Damien clenched his fists, resisting the urge to punch him in his hell-borne skull.

"Back off, Malix!" Matthew shouts.

"Don't start acting tough, you're a pathetic excuse for a demon. You need more protection than her~"

"SHUT UP!"

"Awww, did I make the little Matthew cry? Why don't you just grow a pair?!" Matthew growls at Malix.

"Enough, Malix!" Commands Eris.

"Since when did you get the guts to speak out of place?!" Malix growls.

"We both know you never controlled me. I want them dead just like you do, but now's not the time."

"Fuck off. I know what I'm doing." Malix commands in a whiny tone.

"Do you? Even if you did fight them, it's five against two. We'd never win."

"SHUT UP!"

"LET'S GO, MALIX! WE'RE WASTING OUR TIME!"

The two growled at each other. Malix grunted and glared at us. He pointed at James and cackled, "Just you wait, pretty boys. We'll get you and fuck you up real good." Malix laughs crazily. Malix turned to Thalia, moving his finger to point right between her eyes. "And, don't think you're safe. Step outside. I dare you." Malix laughs crazily once again. With that Malix and Eris walk out of the mansion, leaving the incubi and the girls alone.

Thalia felt her knees give out, and Damien and Sam rushed to catch her. "Woah, woah. Are you alright?" Sam asks.

"Y-yeah." She stuttered, "That was just... a lot." Damien rubbed her arms comfortingly as Sam let her go, allowing the mind-reader to keep his arms around her.

"W-Why was he here?" Emma asked, her voice trembling from fear. Matthew walks over to her and she immediately grabs his hand for comfort. Thalia smiled at the gesture as it was a sign that Emma was starting to trust him.

"He's been closely tracking us... Our blood trail from the forest must have led him here." Damien answered.

Matthew growled, tightening his grip on Emma's hand as he said, "We should have stopped him and finished it here." Sam agrees. Thalia straightened up and shivered in fear. Damien notices and tightens his arms around her.

He whispers in her ear "Everything will be okay. I promise." He then steps away and Thalia notices Emma giving her a knowing look.

Thalia rolled her eyes and asked, "Malix... was he... a demon?"

"That son-of-a-bitch is not a demon." Sam growls, "He's a devil."

"A devil? There's a difference?"

"Yes." Erik states, "Demons come from a different plane of existence called the Abyssal Plains. Devils, however, come from one of the seven circles of place humans know as Hell. Despite us not being human, we are very different creatures."

"We actually have brains, for one." Sam began, causing Thalia to snort slightly at the snide comment, "Devils always like to cause trouble and try to kill or torture others for their own enjoyment. Demons like us know when to use our powers and when not to. We're not stupid."

"Devils follow orders from higher ups in their order and their power only comes from their connection to Hell. Demons all have free wills and don't rely on where they come from to use their powers." Explains Matthew.

Thalia pinched the bridge of her nose as she could feel an oncoming headache. This was all so confusing for her and a lot for her to process, "What do we do now?"

"The two of you are safe. You've been protected as well." Damien answered. He took Thalia's right hand and repeated the action with Emma. He showed them the rings that their mothers gave them before they moved into the mansion. "The rings hold the same magic that is protecting this mansion, so as long as you wear those rings you're safe." Thalia smiled at him.

He released Emma's hand but held Thalia's a little longer. He gives her hand a comforting squeeze before letting go. James puts a hand on her shoulder and tells her, "Miss, please don't worry. We'll find a way to train ourselves and become stronger to finally finish this feud."

Sam growls, "I wanna kick his ass right now."

"Until then, we'll protect you two as much as we can. If Malix comes back, we'll be here for you...both of you." Erik reassured.

"But what about going outside? Won't he...?" Thalia asked nervously.

"Like we said, you two are protected. Even if Malix attacks you, he wouldn't be able to use his magic. He'd be just like any other human you can fight back against." Matthew explains. They felt a little more relieved knowing that they'd be safer than on average.

Damien and Matthew walked Emma and Thalia to their rooms. Damien squeezed Thalia's hand reassuringly, but it didn't really help. She bit her lip in thought as he began to walk away. "Fuck it." She muttered before running up to Damien, turning him around and hugging him tightly, inhaling his scent as she buried her head into the crook of his neck. It calmed her in an unfamiliar way. He hugged her back of course and whispered in her ear that everything was going to be okay. Damien gently kissed her temple and gave her one more reassuring squeeze before she pulled away. Thalia gave him a small smile before whispering a small 'thank you.' He just smiled and began to walk away. She almost wanted to go with him and have him hold her until she fell asleep. But she didn't. Instead, Thalia went to bed that night feeling less nervous as she could still smell his comforting scent and feel his warmth.