[COMPLETE] African Pride

20. P.R.I.D.E.

The wind caressed my cheeks as I leaped among the rooftops of various buildings. I was on my nightly patrol, something that I had increased in frequency. Peace was something that I needed right now, and being out in the fresh air helped clear my head.

Stopping at the top of a skyscraper I crouched like a cat, looking down at the moving cars below. They looked like glowing ants, but as I watched them, my mind drifted over to the girl who held most of my attention.

Lei.

I hadn't heard from her since the night before. Even though I saw her at school, she didn't look or talk to me. I didn't try to get her attention, something that I now realize I should have done. Lei probably was waiting for me to make the first move, as, after all, I was the one who ran away.

I slapped my forehead, cursing under my breath. I shouldn't be surprised that I ruined this potential relationship, but then again what was I doing attempting to be in one in the first place? It wouldn't last long. I could be friends, no, that wouldn't work, I didn't want to be just friends with Lei.

A gentle hissing behind me made me glance over my shoulder, just in time to see a snake tail come flying in my direction. Gathering myself, I backflipped, watching as the tail smashed into where I was sitting. The tail was jerked back, the hissing growing louder as the roho mbaya revealed itself. No, truthfully I should say, themselves.

There were three, demons, each of them having bright yellow eyes; the weakest type of roho mbaya. I guess that was why more than one appeared, but their numbers weren't going to change the outcome of this fight. They were going to lose.

"You know, this was exactly what I needed," I said, cracking my knuckles. "To deliver an ass-kicking to a bunch of demons. Now, who's first?"

We... are nottttt here... to ffffffffight you... Mlezzzzzzzi...

I arched an eyebrow. "You're not? Then what the hell do you want from me?"

Jussssst... to deliver...a messsssage...

The Great One... commandssss that you ssstay... out of hisssss way...

"Great One?" I repeated, frowning.

My eyebrows shot up as I realized that this 'Great One' had to be Kifonyoka, the so-called king of the roho mbaya. After all, even demons had someone they had to answer too. I answered to the gods, why should demons be any different?

But why did Kifonyoka, out of all people, want me out of his way? He couldn't have taken Jiona, gods and demons weren't allowed to meddle in each other's affairs. But that didn't mean that they couldn't influence humans to do their dirty work.

"Tell this 'Great One' that he can take his commands and shove it where the light don't shine!" I yelled. "Now you have a choice: get out of here or else I'll take out my anger on the three of you. Either or works for me."

The roho mbaya hissed, their tongues flicking in and out of their mouths before lunging at me. My body tightened, preparing myself for an attack, but they didn't do it. Instead, they had jumped past me and melted into the shadows.

Well, that was unexpected.

Generally, in a situation like this, I would go to Busar. He would know for sure if this 'Great One' was Kifonyoka or not. But Busar wasn't here. I could summon him again, but I doubted that I had the magic to do it.

Pulling up my sleeves, I looked down at the black veins on my arms. They had returned and were becoming harder to hide. It was growing warm in Washington D.C., and it was becoming difficult for me to find excuses for wearing long sleeves. The only way I could keep from bursting into flames was to keep my blood cold but doing that pulled on the magic from my necklace, which in turn only made the veins grow.