Demonic Infatuation

10

It had been a few hours since my confrontation with Kason, yet my mind was still reeling. I should've realized what he was the moment Lucy said he worked for her.

He didn't seem like a demon. For the most part he was very well mannered, but then again, I didn't have anything but stereotypes to compare him to. In movies, demons were always big, frightening things with sharp teeth and horns.

I wondered about how many demons I had come across in my lifetime, being completely unaware of what they were.

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts, and I mumbled a quiet 'come in'. Expecting Kason, I turned away to face the window.

"Hey, its time to head out." The deep voice said from behind me. I looked to see it was Dominic standing there, dressed in dark jeans and a pullover hoodie.

I nodded and stood to walk over to him. We made our way down the stairs to be met by Kason lingering in the kitchen.

"Shouldn't take long, have her back in two hours at most." Dominic said toward him, Kason only nodded at the countertop, as he continued to face away from us.

After that, Dom led me out onto the balcony before wrapping his arms around me and tossing us over the railing. I squealed in fright as his wings jumped from his back and lifted us into the air.

"You'll get used to it, at least you can enjoy the view this time around." He spoke words of comfort. I appreciated him trying to make me feel at ease, but I was far from content.

He was right though, the view was amazing. We flew just below the skyline, weaving through the buildings. I could've touched them as we passed, but I refrained from loosening myself from around Dominic.

The oil lamps shown more brightly from up here, and they made the city sparkle in the dark atmosphere. I took it all in, not feeling at all afraid. I was caught up in the moment and couldn't tear my eyes away.

We continued through the air for what seemed like hours before I could pick out the familiar town below us. At some point the light returned in the sky, I wasn't sure when but I was grateful.

Dominic began slowing down, and we landed gently in my backyard. The back door hung open as one of the hinges had been broken, presumably by the two men that raided my home.

"Alright so here's the plan. You'll be packing your stuff and seeing as it would be very difficult to fly with you and your things, I'll take them back to Kason's before coming back for you. I know how tempted you must be by this to try and run, but please, just stay here and stay hidden if anyone comes by. You seem like a nice person, and I would hate to see what Lucy does to you if she found out you caused trouble." He rambled as we stepped into the house and walked up the stairs.

"I figured. Believe me, as much as I wish things were different, I'd rather be alive and safe than running from demons." I chuckled, and he offered me a small smile in return.

We made it to my room and I winced at the mess that had yet to be cleaned. Glass lay around the door, spreading through most of my room and my bed was overturned. Tears stung my eyes, threatening to spill over at the memory of that night.

Dominic seemed to notice as he rubbed a soothing hand down my back, "I know it's hard. It was like this for me too, but I promise you it gets better."

"Would you mind telling me about what happened with you while we pack?" I mumbled, looking up at him and sniffling.

"If it will help you through this."

I nodded and he sighed, grimacing in response.

"Well I can't say the way I was retrieved is as scary as what happened to you, but it was still a lot to take in," Dominic said as he searched for a bag in the closet, " Unlike you, I had a family. A wife and two beautiful daughters. There was a knock on my door one night, very early in the morning. My wife went down to answer it because I was asleep." He paused as he pulled a few bags in front of me, I began pulling my clothes from the hangers and folding them.

"They roughed her up pretty bad. As soon as she had unlocked the door, they slammed it open and it hit her in the head so hard she flew across the room." He frowned, recalling the events that turned his life upside down.

"Once she was out of the way, they began searching the rest of the house. They found my daughters' room before mine, and their screaming is what had awoken me." I took a moment to look at him, his face was scrunched up, eyebrows furrowed as his lips pressed together.

I continued folding as he reached for another bag, "I think that's about all I can bear for now." He whispered. "I'll go pack up your toiletries, yeah?"

Looking to me, he rose his eyebrows and I nodded. "Thank you for talking to about it. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Dom only sighed as he nodded,"And I'm sorry for you. Thankfully enough, they let my family be. Even let me call an ambulance before hauling me off. I just wish I had answered the door."

I sent him a small smile before he turned on his heel to leave the room.

"Um, which way is your bathroom?" He peeked through the door and I chuckled.

"First door to your right."

"Got it." He mumbled as he left once again.

I took a look around my room and huffed in sadness. I had never liked living alone, but it was much better to live alone than with a demon. I wasn't entirely ready to give up my life. However, I had no choice.

I stood and made my way to the dresser, grabbing everything out and tossing it to the floor. Something thudded against the ground after a heap of clothing had fell, and I turned in curiosity. Reaching through the shirts, I pulled out a small notebook. My mother's journal.

I stared at the worn leather a bit longer before tossing it into my bag. At least I had that much left of her. She never even called after moving away, never wrote any letters. She just left me on my own after I had turned twenty one.

Packing the rest of the clothes into another bag, I looked around the room for anything else I may want to take. Pictures of Stacey and I poked out from my mirror frame and I reached out to my favorite one.

It was of us in front dog statue we had found roaming around Chicago. Stacey was perched on its back, arms wrapped its neck as I was laying beneath it, head poking out from between the legs. I smiled at the memory and placed it inside the cover of a book I had packed.

I had just finished up when Dominic came bursting through the door.

"Change of plans! The cops are outside right now and we need to get out of here. Grab your things." He rushed and he hauled one of the duffle bags onto his shoulder.

The cops were here. They could help me.

No. At this point I had come to terms with was happening. The cops couldn't help me last time, how did I expect them to now?

I nodded and quickly grabbed the other bag from the floor. "We can go off the balcony, the stairs lead straight to the backyard."

Dom followed me as we stepped over the glass and made our way hastily down the steps. We ran from the house and into the woods. When he was certain we had gotten far enough, he stopped and turned to me out of breath.

"Whew. Okay. I'll call Lucy and have her send a few more men over here to help with your bags." He said as he placed my things onto the ground.

I nodded as he pulled his phone out, and allowed myself to catch my breath as he talked. The sun had begun to set, and the hovering trees stole away the small amount of light it had left to offer.

"They'll be here soon. We might as well get comfortable until they do."

"Sounds good to me." I huffed, plopping myself on the leaves beneath me.