Devil Hunter: Alteration of Eminence

Fake It

Aylen blinked awake eyes blurred with sleep as the rising sun filtered through her curtains from where she lay lazily on her stomach. She hated waking up confused because she always felt frazzled and her mental processes slowed to unacceptable speeds. Her head felt like it had been stuffed full of cotton balls and all she wanted to do was relieve the stiffness in her body and go back to sleep. She was pretty sure that the last part would take far more energy than she had to offer. Her bed seemed to sense her desire, taking the opportunity to shift under her in accommodation of her wishes and she let her eyes slide shut in contentment, pressing her cheek deeper into her warm pillow.

She furrowed her brow slightly when she realized something was off, but she just wasn't awake enough to put her finger on it. She did manage to muster just enough bodily energy for a good, incredibly delicious stretch before pulling her right leg up and hooking her knee over the edge of the mattress, absently enjoying the softness of the fabric against her skin. The warmth radiating from beneath the surface was incredibly soothing, reminding her of how it felt to curl up with one of her uncles. Well, almost like it. She wondered if she managed to fall asleep atop her heated blanket, because this was just a bit warmer than they were. Reaching up to push away some traitorous locks of hair that had betrayed her clammy face.

Speaking of heat...

Halfway to her house, Aylen had become conflicted in herself. She had all intent of dropping Raziel off at her grandfather's and calling Kaymden for a ride when she realized that it actually might be safer for him if she just took him home with her. This coupled with the fact that she justified her choice with the thought that drunk people always suffered impaired judgement and diminished motor skills. She'd never forgive herself if she had left him and he climbed back on his bike, only to wreck and be killed in some godawful accident.

She remembered pulling into her driveway, breathing a huge sigh in relief that she had managed to gather the two safely and that she could finally disentangle herself from him. His hands easily spanned her waist as he lifted her off the front of his bike and set her on her feet with an effortlessness that was unnerving. Part of her had wanted to scurry inside and lock the door. His lips were set in a chilling smile, deep eyes simmered with something cold and alien before they glinted with a hungry animosity. His body had constantly thrummed with a leashed violence that hung over her like a broken chandelier.

Adjusting the mirrors of his bike one last time, Raziel stood, gracefully dismounting the bike in a manner she was sure she did not execute, even with his help. Grinding her screaming instincts to a halt, Aylen stood on the stoop and waited for him to follow. For all his drunkenness, she had to admit that he had been amazingly fluid in his gait. Whilst he strode to the bottom step, he still towered over her, even from her high vantage point. Turning to look at the nature that surrounded her house, he pushed the shades back from where they had slid down his nose. The dark satiny length of his hair catching the faint breeze from where it swept halfway down the deeply carved muscles of his back. Struck, Aylen stood there admiring the man as he stared into the woods with an intensity unknown to her. Were it not for his retreat back to his bike, she would've been entranced by his figure.

"M'kay. See ya," he called over his shoulder.

"Wait!" Aylen stumbled down the steps, desperately trying to think of ways to keep him there. Her thoughts only further jumbled as he glanced over his shoulder, lifting a dark brow in question. "C-Can you stay? Maso was supposed to stay but..."

She couldn't stop her stammering; it was as though his prolonged presence had made her forget how to articulate her vernacular with those of the opposite sex. At her floundering, Raziel turned to face her, she'd found herself staring up at him, craning her neck just to look him in the eye. A twitch of his lip gave Aylen the impression that she had done something to amuse him; but in the same second it appeared, it retreated, making her wonder if she had just conceptualized the gesture.