Demon's Path

Chapter 8 Swarming Demons

Father, Elijah, and I went to town, Father had a business meeting for his bookstore spread out throughout England. "Zera, stay with Elijah in the store, I'll be in the building next door." He didn't wait for my response this time, he just walked away.

"Yes Father..." I sighed, my voice was quiet.

"Would you like to go elsewhere, my lady?" Elijah woke me from my thoughts.

"N-no...I need new books anyways..." I sighed and headed towards the bookstore. "Can you go look after Father please? Don't let him see you, make him delay, make him hurt just a little bit please Elijah." I said, "Or at least a little crazy." I looked at him, I was tired.

"Y-yes...my lady." He looked at me confused, after escorting me to the bookstore. "Stay here and please do not leave I will not be long." With that final request he left, and I entered the bookstore and a bell chimed as the door opened.

"Hello! How may I help you today young lady?" A rather cheery store clerk asked, with a smile to his face. His bangs covered his eyes he had long raven black hair.

"N-no thank you." I went straight to the mystery section. The store was rather small and empty as the books lined up beside one another on the shelves. The bell chimed again with people entering.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The store clerk's cheery voice dropped to an annoyed tone, I hadn't realized how loud he was. He must have been ignored because the footsteps grew louder and closer as if there was more than one person coming.

A group of men came to the mystery section with one woman in the group, there was roughly four or five people in total. The only female moved to my side, "Hello sweetie, where are your parents?" She smiled, with a french accent. "A little girl like you shouldn't be off on your own."

"Father is at a meeting." I said in a monotone as I looked through the books.

"What about your mother?" She asked curiously, sounding pleased, I didn't like it.

"Deceased." My voice wavered with only a touch of sadness.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Her voice was soft, and that was when I looked at them, not through the corner of my eye. Her intense red lips were in a thin straight line. Her eyes were like emeralds, hair like woven gold. Skin was like pure untainted and undamaged snow, freshly fallen from the sky. "What's your name?" Her lips slowly crept into a smile.

I glared at her, "Who are you?" I put the book back and put my hands behind my back, reaching for the pocket knife I had stolen from Father's study, I was only seven at the time.

"I'm Avril Babineaux." She said resting a hand on my shoulder, her eyes flashed red and I cut off her hand. She screamed out in pain and the men ran at me. I heard running and I tried to fight against them, but their grip on my arms hurt and I cried out as my broken arm was in severe pain. The cast was breaking.

The store clerk came into view, "I knew you were demons, honestly your stench is stronger than you think!" The store clerk shouted.

"Listen reaper! We don't want any trouble, get lost this is demon business." Avril clutched her wrist, which was missing a hand, yelled angrily at the reaper.

"I didn't go stomping into your grounds now did I? You made it business of the grim reapers as soon as you stepped through that door." He yelled pulling out a long silver sword with a black handle. "Now, leave the girl alone, or your souls are mine." He pointed his blade at the demons surrounding me. The two demons tightened their grip and the other three including Avril stood in front as if keeping me away from the reaper.

"Get lost we won't leave without her." The two males in the from yelled, Avril and the demons gripping me left through the back leaving the other demons to fight with the reaper. I was being dragged out, behind the store was an alley, Avril covered my mouth with a cloth that had something I couldn't tell what it was. I was beginning to get drowsy, Avril ordered the demons to do something, but I couldn't hear. I was thrown to the ground and she leaned down to my level.

"Listen brat, I can help you make your wishes a reality, but you have to make a contract with me." She spat, though her voice was distant I could understand.

"G-get lost." I tried to say, but it was quiet, I wasn't sure if they could hear me. I tried to look around in hope that somebody would notice, or at least Elijah was near.

"Looks like, I'll have to take your soul by force!" Avril yelled and it rung in my ears and everything was slowly fading. Her nails grew long like daggers and black as night, I gasped, but I fell back onto the ground. I tried to shut my eyes though it was probably not the best decision.

"You know the law, children under thirteen cannot have their souls stolen, only a contract can be formed." I heard Elijah's voice last, I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids were too heavy and I faded from consciousness.