Malevolent

Chapter 22

A hoard of cutlery flung forward, stabbing into the wall where Dante stood. Eyes beaming fire, one slightly consuming in black. His horns rose out beneath his hair in warning, before he flung a butter knife back in my direction. Only this one got caught mid-air in levitation, and fell to the carpeted floor.

I slightly parted my lips in a smile, where cigarette smoke burned wildly between them. I savored the black and mild tucked between my brim. Delicately, I waved my curled midnight locks from side to side, proudly.

      "You'll have to do better than that, Amra." He drawled out my name in irritation. The darkness blew out, and his eyes were all fire and chaos.

The silverware behind him shook and rumbled, until it unhooked from the wall and all shiny pointed edges were facing me.

Oh fuck.

With a tilt of his lip, Dante cast the piercing tableware towards me.

I crouched away as fast as I could.

His breath unexpectedly fanned beside me. "My cigarette," he whispered, before taking it from my lips. "You should open your eyes, angel." I caught his light growl.

I cautiously opened one eye, then the other, as I noticed the silverware dangled inches from my face. All at once, they went tumbling to the ground in a clank!

     "Not bad." He said nonchalantly.

Not good enough, but I felt too tired to keep going. This little act had me feeling more than exhausted, "I'm starving." I said.

     "That's expected. The energy is burning through you. The effects of running so much power manifests in more human cravings. You need food." He slipped on a brown jacket.

     "What about you? I never see you eat?"

     "I'm a demon, Amra." He raised a brow. "What do you think I crave?" he said, eyeing me head to toe. I forced myself to look anywhere but him.

     "Let's go out to eat." He added.

     "Eat? Out?"

His smile returned. I shouldn't have said that.

     "That could definitely be arranged." He towered behind me, his hand stroking down my arm. "I would love nothing more than to lick that sensitive little area between your legs and taste you over and over."

And I wanted him too. So badly, in this moment I felt a rush of heat all over my body, but I couldn't let this happen. He needed to keep up his end of our deal.

I moved away, grabbing his black leather jacket, essentially ending our moment. My pussy hated me right now.

     "Let's go." I turned back to face Dante, trying not to look as flushed as I felt.

Dante's eyes pinned me in place. He slowly approached me, and stunned me by bringing my hair gently out of his jacket to rest on my shoulders. "You should wear my clothes more often." He said with a smirk.

𓆰𓆪

We ended up in a small secluded restaurant. The food was mouthwatering and exotic. I was dying for food at this point. Dante's eggs hadn't necessarily been the best and after all that mental work out, I felt drained. I could stab someone for a plate of whatever the hell the chef was cooking up.

The man behind the counter greeted us warmly in what sounded like arabic. Dante simply nodded his head at the man like an asshole. He'd been extra bitchy since we left the apartment. Barely saying a word. He ordered for me, after I pointed at a picture of what I wanted. I was impressed by how fluid the language came to him. It reminded me of how old Dante was and how he was hanging out with me of all people.

     "How old are you?" I finally broke the silence. I wasn't a fan of being stared at as I ate. Dante seemed particularly impatient. His foot lightly tapping the floor. "Hello, earth to Dante." I waved my hand over his face since he was clearly too distracted to answer.

     "Finish your food." He mumbled, clenching his jaw tightly.

     "What's got your horns curled?"

He dropped his shades, just slightly, so only I could see the red in his eyes. "You." He said, matter-of-factly.

My brow rose. "Me?" What did I have to do with him being sergeant bitch?

     "Sergent Bitch, huh?" His eyes narrowed, casting me a devilish glare that said try me. "I'll remember that next time I'm balls deep in you."

Next time? There hadn't even been a first! And fuck, did he have to say that out loud. I mean, I guess it didn't matter. Most people here spoke Arabic and the only people here were us...and the cook, and the cashier up front.

     "Welp, I lost my appetite. We can go now." I dropped the rice on my fork back on the plate.

Dante stood up with a smirk. When he came back, he handed me a box so I could take my food to go. I worked quickly. Having regained my energy, I was feeling normal and well stronger. I could probably go for another round with Dante.

He led us out the shop and started making our way back to the apartment. I was glad I had decided to wear Dante's jacket. The sun had set and there was a chilly breeze about. 

Dante walked ahead of me. Clearly, he was in a hurry, but I was not. 

I had never been to such a beautiful place. We were next to the sea. A pier lined the shore where others walked. The city was bright and the buildings were high. Dante didn't want to explore, but I, on the other hand...

As I walked quietly beside him, a sudden weighing feeling stopped me. I felt an urgency of my own, pulling me in a different direction. There was even a certain smell that came with it. I couldn't place it, but it made my mouth water differently. 

I needed to have whatever was calling me. I changed my direction without a second thought, following my instinct.

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of an alley. And on the next blink, I was shrouded the darkness of the alleyway. How did I get here? 

A low, pleading cry caught my attention. My mouth drooled for the smell that rapped a finger and called me forth.

I felt the shadows in the alleyway grow around me, cloaking me in darkness. I felt strong, powerful even. My hunger grew when my eyes landed on a man leaning against the wall. He was balding, covered in robes. A thick beard covered his jaw. I could smell the scent of copper that made me drool. 

I wanted to eat him, rip into his flesh. 

I stalked forward, about to grab him when I noticed the girl he held by the throat. His hands were down her skirt as she begged him to stop. 

"Let her go!" In the next instant, I was lifting him by the throat. I could feel his delicate flesh and veins, the muscle ready to rip beneath my nails.

The coppery smell was unbearably good. Must eat, something dark demanded within me.

"Go!" I turned to the girl who looked at me with fear in her eyes, but before she could scatter, she muttered a thank you.

A gurgling noise caught my attention and I turned back to see the man's face turning red from my grip. I wanted to punch his head into the wall, rip into his carotid, but the look of fear in his dilated eyes paused me when I saw my reflection in them.

"You know he deserves it."

Dante's familiar voice called from behind me.

"What you're smelling is his sin and the reason it's so strong is because this isn't the first time he's done this." His breath fanned my neck. "Do it, Amra." He snaked his hand up mine as he held the man's throat with me. "Punish him."

In the man's eyes, I could see my own eyes, abysmally dark. Then Dante's bright red eyes right behind me. 

This wasn't me... I wouldn't do this, would I? This was the effect of Dante's blood in my veins. And yet, a bigger part of me refused to let go of the man's throat. He was purple now. He had taken innocence from many girls. I could feel it now, that feeling Dante tapped into.

I pushed Dante aside and escaped taking the man with me.