September's End

Chapter 2

"No One"

     "You won, you really fucking won!" I laugh but Bás just stares at me, the face of the human body he's taken over is as red as ever.

"You have to leave them alone, Malupit." he finally says and I feel more laughter coming.

"I have to? I don't have to do shit, brother. I warned you, I told you I'd kill her, did I not?"

"Leave them alone!" his anger makes my smile falter and the sarcastic laughter dies in my throat.

     My brother has always been weak. For two centuries we ran rampant, destroying every human in our path before he gained a fucking conscience, something us demons had no time for. He started sniffing out me and Jirro for guidance when he could no longer do what needed to be done but, soon enough, he strayed all together. He no longer killed, he helped and looked down on me for doing what demons do, we kill, torture and toy. Nothing more nothing less.
    
     But even then he never showed anger, disdain, and disgust, sure but never anger and most definitely not the amount of it he has now. Not until her. He's a foolish boy and his anger at my threats to a human and the fact that I'll always beat him has my laughter bursting out again.

"No."

"Mal-"

     "No. If you'd have just let me have her instead of blocking me at every turn we wouldn't even be here. This is the consequence of what you chose Bas, that night and all the days following when you wouldn't let me do what I promised. You chose! Now it's too late and precious little Milo is about to crossover in utter confusion, trapped in purgatory. All you had to do was step aside now you just might lose them all, mom included. All of this was for nothing." I laugh but my head is clouded with my own words.

      Just as Bas' decisions caused this my actions had caused my failure. I'd made the weak strong. He cared too much and my threats only added to his need to protect her, gave him enough fight to beat me. I'm older and more experienced than him, I'm a true demon and he was just a bottom feeder, moving further and further down the ladder. But now I see that the bottom of the ladder didn't harbor a place for him to curl up and hide but a place for him to draw strength from something else. I'd driven him to this point and now I don't know what is weak and what is strong or which one we are. Yet the bottom of that ladder is somewhere I hope to never reach.

"I won't lose them," my brows furrow at the tears in his voice, I've never, ever seen a demon cry,

"I love her."

"No, you don't."

"I do and I'd do anything for her so, I won't lose them, you'll lose me." my eyes snap to his and I step closer to him.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

"I'm giving my life to Milo, all I ask is that you leave them be. As my older brother there has to be some part of you that cares for me, so, please, never come close to them again."

"Bas, no, I'm-"

"That is all I ask Malupit," he says with finality before flying away. That was the last thing my brother said to me. I tried to stop him one last time but he didn't even look at me and now he's gone. The anger I feel toward the entire situation has me scouring the street for a victim that will give me the utmost satisfaction. One that will scream and cry as I press my fingers to their body, writhe and wither beneath my touch.
    
     I spot a man just up ahead, tattoos covering his arms, fingers, hands, his ears, and his bald head, that's the one. I step into his path, watching him come closer and closer, gazing at bright flowers when he thinks no one is looking then something else catches my eye. She's barreling towards me, a butterball with dark skin, stubby limbs, and black clothing. Just as she comes to pass me her eyes meet mine and for the first time in my demonic existence, I don't know what to do.
    
     I hear her feet come to a halt just behind me and curiosity turns me around. She's just standing there like a fool, her eyes focused on me but how? she can't see me, I'm invisible, cloaked by ancient powers. When I tilt my head she mirrors me, then her face hardens and she raises both hands in the air.

"You here for me?"

     What the fuck?! it's not possible, I look behind me, searching for the person she's talking to but no one is even looking in her direction. There's no way she can see me, no way. And yet, her brown eyes are boring into mine, waiting for an answer.

"Are. You. Here. For. Me?" her hands move with each slowly spoken word and I'm compelled to respond.

"No."

Her mouth opens but she's interrupted by someone yelling from down the block.

"Tim, who are you talking to?" she smirks with her mischief filled eyes still locked with mine and calls over her shoulder.

"No one."