The Darkness of Night
The sun beat down on the small village of Tilla, and it was an exceptionally hot day. The townsfolk were hard at work in the field, the planting season having just begun. While the adults worked the field, the children played in the town square. They ran through the square chasing each other and playing games, all but one that is.
Sitting atop the church tower, he looked down over the town, deep in thought. Unlike other children his age, he spent his time wondering. On this particular day he happened to be wondering why this was the best day to plant. Why not tomorrow, or perhaps yesterday might have been better. For all we know, this whole week may be a bad time. How are we to know, or even to say when the best day to plant and reap. Nature will do as she please despite our interference.
"I thought I'd find you up here." a voice rang out, breaking the silence.
The boy lifted his head, looking behind him. A young girl about his age stood behind him, looking at him with a smile that could brighten even the gloomiest of days.
"Hey Sasa." the boy replied.
"Why don't you come down and play?" Everyone's looking for you." she said, brushing some dirt off her brown khaki skirt.
"No they're not. Anyway, I'm happy here where I can just think in peace." he groaned.
"Oh come on Ky, it'll be fun. Please?" she pleaded, her wide green eyes staring into his.
"I'll pass." he grunted.
"Come on, I want you to!" she protested, puffing her cheeks as she held her breath.
"Sara, I said no." Ky snapped.
"Fine." she replied with a pout, climbing back down the ladder into the church.
Ky turned back towards the horizon and went back to his thoughts.
"Sasa's so persistent." Ky sighed.
Running his fingers through his hair, he noticed the light catch on one of the brown hairs caught under his nail. He stared at it for a while, bored.
"Maybe Sasa was right, she is just a kid after all. Then again, so am I. I should be down there playing with everyone else, but instead I'm up here along, thinking. I act too old for my age." Ky thought as he laid down.
"I like it that way, but I can't help but wonder why." he shrugged.
For hours he lay there, watching the sun crawl across the sky above him. As the sun began to set over the horizon, he started to doze off. He jumped up as the sound of someone climbing the ladder behind him jarred him from sleep.
"You're still up here? Come on, it's getting late." Sasa sighed, looking down at him.
"I don't really feel like it." he replied.
"You know the demons come out at night, let's go." Sasa said firmly.
"You ever wonder about that whole demon story? I really don't know whether I can believe it." Ky sighed.
We've been warned about them since we were little..." Sasa began.
"And that's what bothers me most. I feel like it's their way of getting us home and in bed at night. Rather than just set a curfew, they tell this big elaborate tale about demons coming in the night. On the other hand though, there's a chance there is some truth to the story.
"You really think our parents would lie to us about something like that?" Sasa asked.
"Maybe, that's why I'm staying here for the night to find out. If it is true, I can just lock myself in the church. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Ky replied, climbing to his feet.
"If you say so..." Sasa sighed.
Ky turned back towards the horizon, watching the sun set.
"The only reason I'm not fighting you on this is because I know you'll never listen, you know that right?" Sasa groaned, brushing her auburn hair into place.
"Yea, you should get going though. It's getting late." Ky said, a tired look in his eye.
"Just promise you won't do anything stupid." she replied, climbing down the ladder.
Ky watched the sun set, only to be replaced by the faint light of the full moon. He looked out over the town, watching the empty streets. As the night dragged on, Ky's eyes grew heavy with sleep as he forced himself to stay awake.
"Maybe there aren't any demons. I kind of figured as much." Ky sighed, resting his head on the tower's railing.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, something caught his eye. A pair of shadows darted out into the streets, quickly taking cover behind one of the buildings. He watched them move through the streets as they darted from house to house, until they finally reached their destination. Ky's heart nearly stopped as he watched them somehow open the door to Sasa's house, despite it being locked up for the night.
Without thinking, he jumped off the tower towards a nearby rooftop, hoping to get closer. Just missing his mark, Ky fell to the ground below, screaming in pain as he landed on his ankle.
"Dammit, run Sara!" he screamed, tears of pain rolling down his cheeks.
Dragging himself through the street, he made his way towards the house as quickly as he could. As he reached the town square, he saw one of the figures take flight, a body in its arms. The second emerged from Sasa's house, closing the door behind it. He watched in terror as the human-like shadow looked over at him with glowing red eyes, unfurling its large black wings. Suddenly, it sprung forwards, flying towards him. He shut his eyes tight, fearing the worst.
Hearing footsteps inches from his face, he slowly opened his eyes, curious as to what stood before him. By the look of the demon's attire, the blue heelless shoes, and its smooth milky white skin, he could assume it was a woman standing over him. Daring to look a little farther up, he found the rest of her was obscured by her billowy white dress.
"What have we here?" she sighed, kneeling towards Ky.
As the moonlight glistened across her pale hair, Ky noticed a hint of blue shimmering through it. Her red eyes looked him over, immediately focusing on his swollen ankle.
"You must have really cared about that girl to do something like that. It's only a sprain though, but still, you're of no use to me if all you can do is hobble around." she sighed, taking his hand.
"Where are you taking her?" Ky growled.
"No need to get all riled up, we'll take good care of her. I'd worry more about getting that leg healed if I were you. Should be fine in a day or so." she smiled, licking the tip of her finger.
Lifting Ky's hand, she squeezed a little, holding it in place.
"This will only hurt for a minute." she said, bringing her finger towards the back of Ky's hand.
As soon as her finger touched his skin, Ky felt as though his hand had burst into flame. He cringed as she guided her finger along his hand in a crescent shape.
"There, all done." she said with a smile, admiring her handiwork.
The demon let go of his hand and gave him a pat on the head.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" she said, rising to her feet.
Ky simply looked at her in confusion, trying to figure out what she wanted of him.
I'll be back once that leg of yours heals. Till then, get some rest." she said, spreading her wings and taking flight.
Ky simply stayed in the middle of the street, too weak to move. As the sun rose and morning came, a small crowd gathered around him.
"Ky, wake up... please... wake up..."
Hearing his mother's voice, he slowly opened his eyes and let out a yawn. She hugged him, tears rolling down her cheeks. As he wrapped his arms around her, the other villagers backed away.
"Step away, Laura. He's got the mark." one of the villagers said.
"I'll do no such thing! I wont let you or any demon for that matter take my son away!" she protested.
"You know what must be done. Take him into the forest. We don't want those demons coming around here again any time soon." another one of the men in the crowd replied.
Before she could reply, a gruff burly man shoved his way through the crowd, eyes focused on Ky.
"What the hell happened and where's Sara?" he yelled.
Ky thought back and suddenly found himself reliving the previous night, realizing now that it was more than a just a dream. Looking down at his hand, he painfully accepted that what happened was real. Wincing in pain, he climbed to his feet.
"I've got to find her." he muttered, limping through the crowd.
Sara's father stepped in front of him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't make me ask you again, what happened to my daughter?"
"She was taken last night. I tried to save her, but thanks to this damn sprain..." Ky began.
"She was only taken because you drew them here by being out at night!" the man shouted, giving Ky a shove.
"They would have taken her either way. They noticed me on their way out, not when they showed up. Now let me pass." Ky replied with vengeful determination.
"At least let your leg heal, you don't even know if its broken or not!" his mother protested.
"I can walk, can't I? Either way, the demon said she would come back once my leg healed, so I might as well go and save you all the trouble of dealing with them again." Ky sighed as he walked out of the crowd and headed for the town gate.
Leaving town, Ky wandered into the forest, determined to find the demons that scarred him the previous night, and more importantly Sara. Noticing an apple tree, Ky picked some fruit for the road and made his way off the dirt path into the thick foliage. At he ventured further into the forest, the trees quickly began to blot out the sun, shrouding the area in darkness.
"No wonder demons enjoy it here so much..." Ky thought as he pressed on, taking a bite out of one of the apples he picked.
He continued to walk, the wind rustling the leaves of the tall oaks surrounding him. Even after the wind stopped, Ky stopped and listened as the leaves still moved about. Looking around cautiously, they suddenly stopped. Continuing to walk, the leaves above him began to crinkle and crunch above him. Looking up, he noticed a glimpse of something moving, a flash of red scurrying through the trees. He started to run as the creature suddenly leaped out, tackling him to the ground.
It was a large half man half lizard demon, its red eyes staring into Ky's.
"Not often my food comes to me... what brings a human into these woods, eh?" it asked, licking its lips.
"I'm looking for someone..." Ky growled, struggling to get the beast off of him.
"Well then, maybe you should have turned back sooner, because now you're going to be my dinner, and a tasty one at..." the demon's voice trailed off as he noticed the mark carved into Ky's hand.
Ky tried to wiggle free, but the monster pinned him down.
"Well shit, looks like Remi beat me to you, eh. Guess she's the one you're after then?"
Ky simply stared at him, unsure how to respond.
"You're braver than most. Lots of humans just try to run, and hell sometimes it works, but not with Remi. She'll hunt her prey to the ends of the earth." the lizard continued.
"Who's Remi?" Ky asked hesitantly.
"You don't know her? How do you explain that mark on your hand if you don't know Remi? That's how she brands all of her prey if she doesn't have time for them. White dress, blueish hair, black devil wings?" the lizard replied.
"So that's Remi..." Ky muttered.
"I'm sure she'll appreciate you taking the trouble of finding her. Saves her the trouble of hunting you down. Unfortunately she's screwed me out of a perfectly fine meal though..." the lizard sighed, getting off of Ky.
"So you're not going to eat me?" Ky asked bewildered, cringing as he stood up.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm starved, but the last thing I want to do is get on her bad side. Remi's a total sweetheart, that is unless you make her mad."
"So how would I find her?" Ky asked.
The lizard man pointed out into the forest.
"Just keep on going that way. Her mansion should be a few miles from here." he replied.
Just as quickly as he appeared, the lizard jumped up and disappeared into the treetops.
After a few miles of hiking, Ky came to the manor he was told about. It was a large elaborate estate, its outer walls painted a golden brown. Large bay windows adorned the place, but all the shutters and blinds were shut tight. Ky hesitantly walked to the meticulously carved oak door, his heart racing with fear and trepidation. Taking hold of the gold bat shaped door knocker, he slammed it against the door. He waited, the loud knock still echoing through the forest. As he reached to knock a second time, the door swung open. The red eyed demon from the previous night stood before him, surprised to see him standing at her front door.
"Well this is a first. Usually I'm the one tracking down you humans, not the other way around." she giggled.
"I'd imagine so, now where's Sara?" Ky demanded.
"My sister is taking good care of her. Now please, won't you step inside?" she replied, inviting Ky in.
Stepping inside the mansion, Ky looked around the luxurious lounge. The woman motioning towards a brownish red leather love seat, Ky did as she requested and took a seat in front of the roaring fireplace. Taking a seat next to him, the demon looked over at him.
"I'm quite impressed with you, boy, taking the initiative to come all the way out here. I can honestly say I've never met anyone like you in all my existence. What is your name?" she asked, leaning closer.
"K-Ky... and you would be Remi I presume?" Ky stammered.
"Indeed." she replied with a smirk.
Remi looked him over, noticing Ky's entire body was trembling.
"Are you afraid of me? There's really no need for that. I'm not going to eat you or anything." Remi laughed.
"But don't all demons feed on humans, like that lizard demon in the woods?" Ky asked in confusion.
"Well, we all do feed off of humans, but not necessarily off of human flesh, dear. There's more to a man than just flesh and bone." Remi replied, ruffling Ky's hair.
"So is your sister feeding off Sara right now? Where are they?" Ky asked, a worried tone in his voice.
"Would you lay off with asking about your pathetic little crush, it's really quite bothersome..." she growled.
"I want to know where she is, and I'm finding out one way or another!" Ky protested.
"You're really starting to test my patience, boy. Drop it before I develop an appetite for your flesh as well!" she growled, grabbing Ky by the collar.
He nodded his head, petrified in sheer terror. The calm and almost pleasant woman who was talking with him mere minutes earlier had undergone a horrific transformation. Her eyes were glowing bloody crimson, and she bore her fangs as she practically breathed down his neck. Her black wings were outstretched, almost ready to wrap around him. Ky's horrified compliance seemed to calm her down enough as she let him go.
"Why must you humans always learn not to take us lightly the hard way." she sighed in frustration.
"Sorry, I'm just worried..."
"I said not another word..." she growled.
Ky grew quiet, his heart practically in his throat.
"Kim, we have a guest!" Remi yelled into the other room.
Rapid footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs a few rooms away. A petite young woman bolted through the door at the side of the lounge. Her short blond hair fell across her face as she came to a halt. She looked Ky over with her glowing red eyes, tugging at her black blouse and matching skirt, trying to make herself more presentable.
"So you're the one sister has been telling me about. I can see why she's been so excited." Kim giggled.
"Apparently, now where's Sara?" Ky growled.
"Yes... get emotional... I like it dear. Remi, can't we trade? I think I like this one better." Kim protested.
"He's more my type. The only reason he's giving you your fix is because you've got his little sweetheart in the other room upstairs." Remi sighed, giving her sister a light shove.
"If you say so, though I wish I could just have them both." Kim grumbled.
"Oh, like I'd ever let that happen." Remi quipped.
"Dammit just tell me where she is!" Ky yelled.
The girls turned a glaring eye towards him, their glowing red eyes burning with anger.
"You dare speak to us that way?" Remi snarled, grabbing him by the collar.
"Let him speak, sister. I'm enjoying this quite thoroughly. Such raw unaltered rage and frustration. Haven't encountered that in quite a while." Kim replied, resting a hand on Remi's shoulder.
"Count yourself lucky, boy. Next time you use that tone with me, you'll sorely regret it." Remi growled shoving Ky away as she let go.
Catching his breath, Ky wiped the sweat from his brow. Remi sat down next to him on the love seat again and looked up at Kim.
"I'd like to spend some time alone with him now, so you can go back to whatever it is you were doing with the girl." she sighed.
"Fine, I'll leave you two alone." Kim grumbled as she walked out the door.
Remi looked over at Ky, a fang poking out from under her lip as she gave him a sly grin.
"So, have you calmed down any?" she asked.
"Not really. I'm still worried about Sara." he replied.
"Trust me, she's fine. My sister wouldn't kill her or even dare lay a finger on her. She feeds off of her loneliness and worry. I, on the other hand, feed off the intellect. I've been watching you for some time now. That wasn't the first time you've spent the night atop the church tower thinking. Actually, had you only picked a different place to think, I would have claimed you long before now." Remi giggled.
"I see, that's why you were so mad before. I stopped feeding your addiction." Ky replied.
"Oh don't put it like that. I prefer to think of it more akin to eating a nice prime rib..." she sighed, her mouth starting to water.
"So how exactly do you feed?" Ky continued out of curiosity.
"I already am." she replied, staring into his eyes.
Ky felt a slight headache, suddenly forgetting what he was about to say. Remi blinked for a moment and looked away.
"I have to be careful not to overdo it though. I like keeping my food alive and well so I can have a little snack whenever I like. Well, that and it's nice to have someone else to talk to around here besides my sister. You know how it can be with sibling rivalries." she laughed.
"Yea, I know what you mean. Sasa's kind of like a sister to me." Ky replied with a blush.
"And here I thought you two were a couple. Are you sure there isn't more than just a fraternal bond between the two of you?" Remi asked, tilting her head.
"I don't think so..." Ky muttered.
"Interesting... I'll have to keep that in mind..." Remi grinned.
"What do you mean by that?" Ky asked.
"Oh... nothing... just a thought is all..." she replied.
"No, really, I want to know." Ky replied curiously.
"Just forget I said anything..." Remi sighed, giving him a subtle glare.
"Fine..." Ky whispered, afraid Remi might go ballistic on him again.
"I might as well show you where you'll be staying. You won't be going anywhere ever again, so it would only make sense." Remi said, standing up.
Ky grumbled as he got to his feet, his ankle flaring up in pain as he put weight on it. He limped behind Remi as she led him into the foyer and up a small staircase. Opening one of the side doors, she led him into a small guest room. It was very basic, the only furniture being the single sized bed, a small chest of drawers across from it, and a nightstand to the right. Pulling down the ultramarine sheets, Remi prepared the bed for Ky.
"Thought I'd at least get things ready for you. It's the least I can do considering your leg." Remi smiled.
"Thanks..." Ky sighed, still unable to believe Remi was really a demon.
"I'll be in my room down the hall if you need anything, or if you just want the company." she giggled as she walked out the door.
Ky looked around the room. Opening the drawers he noticed a full set of fine high end clothing, for both men and women. Moving over to the nightstand, he opened the small drawer at its front. Sifting through some blank sheets of paper, he found a small pocket bible amidst the rubbish.
"Either her last guest was very smart, or she's just full of herself." Ky thought as he slipped it in his pants pocket.
Stepping outside, he made his way down the hall and back down to the lounge. Walking through the other doorway, he made his way up another large staircase. Wandering through the hall ahead of him, he could hear loud sobbing coming from the end of the hall. As he walked towards the door at the end of the hall, he immediately recognized the voice as Sara's. Running to the door, he frantically turned the handle, quickly realizing it was locked. He banged on the door trying to get inside. The door opened a crack, Kim peeking out at him from the other side.
"What do you want, you're interrupting my fun." she growled.
"What are you doing to her!" he yelled.
"Not so loud, boy. I don't want you spoiling everything!" Kim snapped in a hushed whisper.
"I really don't care about your fun, now what are you doing to her?" he growled.
"She's fine. I just told her you were dead is all. Now, leave me to feed." she sighed, going to slam the door.
Ky grabbed the door before she could close it, forcing it open ever so slightly.
"Will she ever learn the truth?" he asked.
"That depends on you, boy. Let me continue, and maybe I'll tell her eventually." Kim giggled.
"How about I just force my way in there now. That sounds a lot more effective." Ky replied with a grin.
Before Kim could even react, Ky kicked the door open, knocking Kim out of the way. He saw Sara slumped over on the bed, trembling in agony. As she looked up at him, her eyes suddenly went wide. She ran towards him, now crying tears of joy. Before she could reach him, Kim pulled Ky to her, putting her sharp nails to his neck.
"Isn't this sweet, you two finally get to see each other again. Now wouldn't it be a shame if I really did kill him?" Kim sighed, pushing her nails in just far enough to draw blood.
Sara went into a panic, eyes wide her heart racing. Ky clenched his fists in anger, glaring at Kim.
"You brought it on yourself, boy. Had you only let us be, you wouldn't be staring death in the face right now would you?" she hissed.
"I'd say it was worth it." Ky spat in contempt.
"You're in no position to be mocking me, and death may in fact be too good a fate for you. Perhaps I'll give you a fate even worse." Kim grinned.
"Oh really now? And what might that be?" Ky laughed.
"I'll feed on you instead. I'll suck you dry of all emotion, to the point where you'll become an empty shell of a man, incapable of love or compassion, anger, sorrow, completely numb to the world!" she yelled in glee.
Ky reached into his pocket and slipped the bible into his hand. Slowly he slid it out of his pocket. Suddenly, he shoved it against Kim. She looked down and noticed the small book. She simply smiled when she saw it.
"Remi really does like playing games with people doesn't she..." Kim sighed.
Ky pressed harder, wondering why the bible wasn't affecting her.
"Did you even open the damn thing, or did you just assume that would work." Kim laughed.
She took the book from Ky and held it open in front of him.
"Does that look like a bible to you?" she asked with a smirk.
As Ky looked over the book, he quickly realized that beneath the modest cover of the bible was an elaborately disguised copy of the kama sutra. Blushing, Ky averted his eyes.
"Aww, how cute, you're starting to blush." Kim giggled.
Ky kept his eyes focused on the floor, avoiding Kim's gaze. He felt her fingers on his throat, her nails digging under his jaw.
"Who were you thinking about just now, when you saw that?: Kim giggled.
Ky remained silent, not wanting to say what he really thought. Kim put some more pressure on his jaw, Ky twisting and writhing to break free.
"Come on, I'm curious." she said with a smirk.
"Fine, it was Sara..." Ky groaned, unable to take the pain anymore.
"I knew you were lying when you said you didn't have feelings for..." Kim began, but she suddenly stopped once she heard what Ky said next.
"...and Remi..." he mumbled.
"Aww, I'm hurt. Aren't I good enough to be in your fantasies as well?" Kim teased.
"What can I say, you're not exactly my type." Ky replied.
"I can be quite the protective older sister..." Kim growled, looking over at the sharp nails on her free hand.
"Even though you're younger than I am." Remi giggled, walking in behind Ky.
Ky turned his head as Remi passed, catching a whiff of her perfume as she walked by.
"It's not fair, why does he like you better than me. You always get what you want." Kim pouted.
"Because I'm older." Remi replied, ruffling her sister's hair.
"That argument kind of falls flat after six-hundred years, sister." Kim groaned.
"Doesn't mean it isn't true." Remi replied with a smile.
Remi walked over to Sara, looking her over. Placing a hand on Sara's cheek, she gave her a gentle kiss. As she licked Sara's neck, she shot a glance over at Ky. As she went to kiss Sara again, she couldn't help but start laughing.
"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation earlier." Remi giggled.
"I knew you were up to something..." Kim sighed.
"Of course..." Remi replied.
"Are you going to let the boy go any time soon? You've hand your hand around his neck for quite some time now." Remi growled.
"Fine, but he ruined my fun." Kim pouted, shoving Ky away.
"I know, I'll have him make it up to you, I promise." Remi replied.
"That should be interesting..." Kim said with a grin.
Chills ran down Ky's neck at the thought of what she might do to him. He inched back towards the door, afraid to stay any longer. Remi simply looked at him, a grin on her face.
"Turning in for the night? Let me walk you to your room." she said, following him out.
"I guess so, not much else I can do..." he sighed.
"...That and your sister scares me..." he muttered after closing the door behind him.
"That's Kim for you." Remi replied.
"Yea, she really does scare me..." Ky repeated, a chill running down his spine.
"When she really gets mad, even in the worst of moods I'm only a kitten compared to her." Remi laughed.
"Glad I haven't pushed her that far..." Ky sighed with relief.
"I wouldn't be so sure..." Remi replied.
Ky froze for a moment, truly afraid of what he had gotten himself into.
"Don't worry, I won't let her hurt you too bad." Remi laughed, opening the door to his room.
Walking over to the bed, Ky sat down while Remi grabbed a wine bottle out of a small barrel of ice.
"I'm curious, tell me about yourself." Ky said with a smile.
"As you already know, I'm a demon who feeds on the mind." Remi replied, joining Ky on the bed.
"No, I mean tell me about you, as a person. What do you like, what's your favorite thing to do?" Ky asked.
Remi was slightly taken aback. She blushed, averting her eyes as she twirled her hair nervously.
"You're the first person to ever ask me about myself. I guess most were just too afraid of me." Remi sighed.
"What's there to be afraid of?" Ky replied with a laugh.
"Don't mock me..." she grumbled in response.
"No, I'm serious!" Ky smiled.
"Oh come on, I'm a fucking demon!" Remi moaned.
"I'm not afraid of you, unless you're mad..." Ky replied, ruffling her hair.
"Don't do that." she snapped.
"You still haven't told me about yourself." Ky replied, taking her hand.
Remi let out a sigh, standing up.
"I don't like talking about myself. It's just... uncomfortable." Remi said, walking towards the door.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Ky began.
"I know, It's not your fault." she interrupted, looking back at Ky with a melancholy gaze.
"Don't worry about it. If you need anything let me know." Ky replied.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Ky? I thought you had a thing for Sara, not to mention I tore the two of you apart from each other. I don't understand." Remi sighed.
"As I told you before, Sara's more of a sister to me than anything, despite how cute she is. You're the one who brought us back together anyway. Had you not noticed me, and given me that mark, I would have died in that forest looking for Sara." Ky said with a smile.
"But had we not come in the first place, had we taken someone else..." Remi muttered.
"You need to eat, don't you? You would have gotten around to her sooner or later anyway." Ky replied.
"I guess you're right, however strange a logic you use to decide that..." Remi sighed, rubbing her head.
"Come sit down, I want to talk." Ky said, patting the bed next to him.
Remi walked back over and sat down. As she leaned towards him, she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I never thought... this was possible..." she muttered.
"Thought what was..."
Before Ky could finish, a monstrous roar echoed through the forest. Remi's eyes shot open in fear.
"We need to hide. Follow me!" Remi yelled, grabbing Ky's hand and running out the door.
She bolted down the stairs and slid a suit of armor aside. Revealing a large metal hatch, she unlocked it with a small key and ran inside, dragging Ky along with her. Slamming the hatch, she ran downstairs into a dark cellar. It was pitch black, and Ky was unable to see no matter how hard he strained his eyes.
"Sister, you're here. Is the boy with you?" Kim asked.
"Yes, he is, and what about you?" Remi replied.
"She's here, don't worry." Kim said with a smile.
"What the hell was that thing?" Ky asked.
"A soulless. They're the most powerful, and most dangerous kind of demon." Remi replied.
"What makes them so different from you?" Ky asked.
"They feast on the souls of lesser demons." Remi said, starting to shiver.
"But I thought demons didn't have souls..." Ky muttered.
"Hey, they may be corrupted beyond any form of reprieve, but we still have them!" Kim protested.
"That's why we're like this. The soul becomes so tainted our physical form changes with it." Remi sighed.
"But you still look so human. That lizard man in the forest..." Ky began.
"What happens to one's appearance is dependent on their nature. We were still quite human at heart, as sadistic and deranged as we might have been in our previous life. The lizard man was most likely more of an animal, feasting on the flesh of humans even before his corruption." Remi replied.
"Are you sure Sara's here? She hasn't said a word..." Ky asked.
"I'm right here, Ky..." she growled, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Sasa? What's wrong?" he asked, starting to tremble.
"Why were you having... thoughts... about that demon?" she snarled.
"Sasa, what's going on..." Ky stammered.
"What is it you see in her, she's a demon..." she continued.
"I don't know, and why is this such a problem?" Ky protested.
"Now's not the time for this, the soulless is still right above us!" Remi snapped in a hushed whisper.
"Just when I was having fun with this..." Kim sighed.
"You can have your fun later, if we live through..."
Remi was interrupted by loud grunting and breathing overhead. A low howl echoed through the cellar as the soulless lurked around the mansion above. Remi listened in fear as the growling and heaving of the creature above became louder and louder with each breath. After a moment, the ground trembled with each breath as the soulless walked away, losing interest.
Remi let out a sigh of relief, opening the cellar door and ushering everyone back into the main hall. The mansion was in the same old and musty condition it was before. Looking around, it looked as though the soulless hadn't even ventured inside the mansion.
"I'm so glad I had that little piece of insurance installed a while back." Remi laughed.
"What insurance?" Kim asked, curious to what her sister had done.
"Remember that time you took a trip overseas?" Remi replied.
"I was getting bored with the prey here and thought I'd get a taste for something new, what of it?" Kim sighed.
"A priest was foolish enough to try to expel me from this place. As you can tell it didn't go quite as he planned. In exchange for his life, I had him install a cross inside the attic ceiling to keep soulless at bay." Remi replied.
"And you didn't think to tell me this?" Kim snapped.
"Well if you'd gone up there you'd have figured it out..." Remi sighed.
"After I burned to death, yea!" Kim yelled in frustration.
"Oh stop being so melodramatic. You know as well as I it wouldn't kill you, though it might be a little uncomfortable." Remi laughed.
"I hate crosses! I hate bibles! I hate everything!" Kim yelled, going into a tantrum.
"Is she going to be alright?" Ky asked, backing away.
"She'll be fine, just needs to get it out of her system." Remi replied.
"Aren't crosses really dangerous for you to be around? I've always been taught it would kill demons on contact." Ky thought aloud.
"Blindly following the blind I see, that a first coming from you. The people who told you that wouldn't even know what to do with themselves around a real demon. It's true that crosses and holy symbols make us uncomfortable, but that about it really. As I said before, we still have souls, and so long as we have that then holy symbols won't do any significant damage." Remi replied.
"Then why put one up in the attic?" Ky asked.
"Because the soulless have no souls. All things with any holy connotation are their worst nightmare. Simply being near a cross causes them great pain." Remi laughed.
"I see. So what are your weaknesses? You've got the advantage of immortality, and are less vulnerable to crosses than soulless, there's got to be some catch." Ky replied.
"That you'll have to find out for yourself. Now, won't you join me?" Remi said with a wink, walking towards the stairs.
As Ky walked towards the stairs, he looked back towards Sara, who at the moment was giving him a malicious glare. Afraid to say no to Remi, Ky ignored the waves of guilt washing over him as he turned away, continuing up the stairs. Walking back into his room, Remi closed the door behind him and sat back down on his bed. Sitting next to her, he stretched his back a little as he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking over at Remi, Ky noticed she was starting to blush a little.
"I'm not really used to this..." she mumbled.
"Used to..."
Before Ky could finish, Remi had practically tackled him, holding him in her arms as she kissed him. Letting him go, she collapsed on the bed, her face red with embarrassment.
"I haven't done that since before I changed." she giggled.
Ky looked at Remi, starting to blush. Running her hand down his cheek, she gave him a wink.
"To think, a demon falling in love..." she sighed.
"I'm as surprised as you are." Ky replied.
"I'm just glad you're open to this." Remi smiled.
"Who said I was open to this exactly? I'm still not too sure how I feel..." Ky replied.
"I know, but even if you weren't okay with it, it's not like that would stop me." Remi giggled.
"Why did you choose me in the first place?" Ky asked.
"Your mind of course. You question everything, something even grown men fail to do most of the time. It's impressive really." Remi laughed.
"Thanks, I guess?" Ky replied, not used to having someone accept his introspective nature rather than constantly trying to pull him out of it.
There was a soft knock at the door, interrupting their conversation. Remi looked up, an irate groan escaping her throat.
"What is it?" she growled.
"I was wondering if I could borrow Ky for a moment..." Kim asked from the other side of the door.
"No, I'm quite enjoying myself right now." Remi snapped.
"But you promised you'd let me get even..." Kim began.
"But not right now!" Remi snapped.
"Fine, I'll be back later for you Ky, be ready." Kim laughed as she walked off.
"Do I really have to make that up to her, I don't want to die." Ky pleaded.
"Yes, you do, and no, I won't let her kill you." Remi giggled.
"But, I don't want to!" Ky groaned.
"Don't get testy with me, you'll let my sister do with you as she sees fit and that's final!" Remi snapped.
Ky fell silent, fidgeting nervously. He stared down at his feet, not wanting to look up at Remi out of fear. She let out a sigh, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Didn't mean to scare you, but you really do have to pay my sister a visit. She'll pester me to death until you do." Remi laughed.
"Fine, I'll go." Ky sighed, standing up.
"I don't mean now! Stay with me a while longer." Remi smiled.
Ky sat back down, Remi putting an arm around him.
"Well how about we have a little fun?" Remi giggled, sitting on his lap.
Ky started to blush, his eyes darting to the floor.
"Don't be shy, I'm not going to do anything too bad." she giggled.
She gently kissed him, easing him back onto the bed. Staring him in the eyes, Remi read through his thoughts. She stifled a giggle as she ran her finger down his chest.
"Such dirty thoughts, I would have imagined you to be more innocent..." Remi smiled.
Ky started to blush, not sure of how to respond.
"...not that I mind or anything. How about we try some of those thoughts." she said with a wink.
"W-wait. I don't think... I..." Ky stammered, watching Remi's fingers run down his stomach, a hungry look in her eye.
"I don't think I'm ready for this!" He suddenly blurted out.
Remi stopped, dismounting him with a sigh.
"It's not everyday I hear that, but I understand. You're still young, no need to rush things I suppose." she replied, brushing the hair from her face.
"Sorry..." Ky mumbled.
"No, it's okay. It's been so long, It's my fault for coming on so strong." Remi replied with a laugh.
"So..." Ky sighed.
"I think now would be a good time to pay my sister a visit." Remi said with a sinister grin.
"So you are mad at me!" Ky protested.
"Not mad, just unfulfilled. Hearing your screams from the other side of the manor should make up for it though." she smiled.
"But..."
"Get a move on, she's waiting." Remi giggled, ushering Ky out the door.
He trudged down the hall, dreading what Kim might do to him. Approaching Kim's room, he hesitated a moment, contemplating any possible way of escape. Before he could even turn to run, the door swung open, as if to invite him in. Kim sat at the edge of her bed, giving him a grim smile. Toying with her hair, she beckoned Ky towards her. As he stepped towards her, the door slammed shut behind him. Ky started to tremble, stumbling forward as he felt something pulling at him to move closer to Kim.
"Don't be shy, I won't hurt you too bad." she giggled.
Looking down, he noticed tiny strings coiled around his wrists, pulling him along. Kim gave him a grin as she gently tugged at the other ends of the strings wrapped around her hands.
"I've always enjoyed having men wrapped around my finger." Kim giggled as she sat Ky down in front of her.
"What do you mean by that?" Ky asked.
"What can I say, I enjoy toying with men. It's just so fun to play with their emotions until they snap." she laughed, grabbing Ky by the hair.
"But unfortunately that doesn't seem to work on you, so I'll have to use alternative methods bring you to tears." she smiled, pulling him into her knee.
Ky grunted in pain as the hard strike connected with his gut. She continued to land blow after blow on him, smiling all the while. Tears rolled down his cheeks, Ky begged her to stop, but she showed no mercy.
"It's not often I have to resort to violence you know? Most men were so entranced by me that they even let me play with their emotions. I drove them all mad." she giggled.
"Why..." Ky wheezed.
"It was fun." she smiled, finally stopping her relentless assault.
Her eyes started to glow as she began to feed off of Ky's pain and anger. As Ky began to calm down, Kim stopped feeding and laid him down on the bed.
"Rest for a bit." she sighed, cracking her knuckles.
"Is this... what being a demon did to you?" Ky asked, finally able to catch his breath.
"Quite the opposite actually. It's my love of toying with emotions that made me into a demon." Kim replied.
"I really do hate you...." Ky groaned.
"My sister was much worse, you know..." Kim sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"We were quite the pair back in the day. I'd only play with emotions, getting a rise out of having every man in town wrapped around my finger, then snipping the strings one by one. My sister on the other hand, well I wonder if I should even be telling you this..." Kim teased.
"What do you mean?" Ky replied.
"I'll let her tell you when she's ready. I think it's time you went back to see her anyway." Kim sighed, shoving Ky off the bed.
He stumbled out the door, battered and broken. Following the wall with his hand, trying to keep his balance, he worked his way back to his room. Opening the door, he walked over to the bed and collapsed. Remi looked over at him, ruffling his hair as she inched closer to him.
"She really wore you out, huh." she giggled.
Ky simply replied with a groan.
"I'll let you get some sleep then." Remi sighed, standing up.
Ky reached out and grabbed her wrist, urging her to stay.
"Before you go, I want to ask you something. What were you like before you became a demon? What made you turn?" he asked.
"What do you mean by that?" Remi snapped defensively, pulling her hand away.
"Kim told me all about how she used to toy with people. That's what made her into a demon. I was wondering what it was you did that made you this way." Ky continued.
"I really don't feel like talking about this. Goodnight." she said hastily, slamming the door as she left.
Ky lay motionless on the bed, wondering what Remi was hiding. Too exhausted to even think straight, he passed out, awaiting the coming of day. After a long night, Ky awoke in his room to find Remi standing in the corner watching over him.
"How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Not long. Just thought I'd see how you were doing." she replied.
"Not bad, still a bit sore though." Ky groaned, rubbing his back.
"About last night... I think it's better you don't know about my past. It'll only bring you hardship." Remi sighed.
"What do you mean?" Ky asked, confused.
"I don't want it changing the way you think of me. There's no reason we can't let sleeping dogs lie, right?" she smiled.
"I guess so..." Ky replied.
"Good. Now, I've got something I want you to do for me." she sighed.
Ky slowly sat up, rolling out of bed. He groggily followed Remi downstairs to the main hall of the manor. Reaching into a small closet, she grabbed a broom and dustpan and handed them to Ky. From there she walked up the stairs and back to her room. As she opened the door, Ky was greeted by a horrid mess. Everything had been thrown all over the floor, the nightstand completely smashed, and debris all over the room.
"I was a bit cranky after I left your room the other night, for obvious reasons. I'd like you to do a little cleaning, since this was all your fault." Remi sighed, walking out to leave Ky to work.
Ky began sweeping up the rubbish on the floor, grumbling and complaining as he went. The entire room was absolutely trashed, and before long, he was running out of room in the pail for it. Taking the full pail, he walked out the door and ran the pail outside. As Ky cleaned, he noticed a pile of books on the floor. Picking them up and putting them on the shelf, he found that they were all on the subject of Socrates and his dialogs. Flipping open one of the books, he began to skim the pages as he cleaned. As he read, he saw Rami had scribbled notes all along the margin, noting the effectiveness of each of the dialectic methods Socrates used. Eventually, Ky became so absorbed in his reading that he stopped cleaning all together. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice Remi walk in to check on him.
"I thought you were supposed to be cleaning." she said, clearing her throat.
Ky jumped, startled as he quickly tossed the book aside.
"Doing some light reading I see." she smiled, sitting next to him.
She picked up the book and thumbed through it.
"Interesting choice, one of my favorites." she muttered, reviewing her notes.
"I'm not really well versed on the topic." Ky sighed.
"I would assume so. I just find it so interesting how the mind works, how desperately people cling to beliefs and social customs thinking they're infallible facts of life. People do crazy things when their whole structure falls apart." she laughed.
"What do you mean?" Ky asked.
"Well, how do you think I got this way?" she said with a smirk.
"I wish I knew..." Ky sighed.
"Well, think about it. Maybe I'll tell you sometime, but I don't know what you'll think if I do. Anyway, I think you've done enough cleaning for now." Remi said as she stood back up.
She led Ky out of the room and downstairs to the main hall. Kim and Sara were already there, Kim feeding off of her emotions. Sara immediately shot Ky an angry glare. Uncomfortable, Ky hesitantly made his way down the stairs, taking a seat as far away from Sara as possible. Kim's eyes lit up as she sensed the tension raise.
"Hello Ky." Sara spat.
The way she said his name, every ounce of anger and resentment resonating in her voice sent chills down Ky's spine. He'd never seen her like this, the once cheerful demeanor now replaced by an icy heart mixed with fiery rage.
"Sasa, whats the matter?" Ky asked.
"Don't call me that." she snapped.
"Sarah, please..."
"Somebody's jealous..." Remi giggled.
"Shut it, you bitch!" Sarah snapped.