1221-writes2

Chapter two, Patterns-

When I wake up my body is still riddled with just as much exhaustion as before I slept. My eyes fight against my mind's command to open, my limbs stiff and heavy, and my neck stings.

‘Wait… what?’

My eyes immediately shoot open, alarm overriding the heaviness I feel deep in my bones as I rush over to the mirror.

The mark the demon from last night left is still evident on my skin. It shouldn’t still be there, it probably should have healed before I even got home. It wasn’t too alarming at that point though it was left by a demon after all he had to hold some power. However, it definitely should have healed by the time I woke up.

Yet it hasn’t, and is instead staring right back at me in the mirror.

I feel a subtle wrath build up, one that I haven’t felt in quite some time. The idea that he left his mark on me in more ways than one only serves to irate me further, and I can’t decide if it’s the physical or mental mark that affects me more.

The pain pulsates further affecting my already sour mood as I debate what’s worse.

“Hey…, oh good you're awake.”

‘Physical. Definitely physical.’

‘Fuck!’

“Mahihkan.” I make sure my voice is steady despite my irritation and surprise and snatch a blanket to cover my… situation before turning to face him.

“I assume you need something considering you decided to come into my room unannounced.”

He doesn’t falter at my callus response, he never does. “Just checking in, Aseena and Kyrie were… Upset that you didn’t meet back up with them in the human world.”

The way he says it gets under my skin, always so calculated in the way he speaks, always making sure to use the right words for who’s he’s talking to.

It shouldn’t bother me the way it does, it’s something I myself do, but that’s exactly why it agitates me. Mahihkan’s the only Angel I feel to truly be above me, at one point that drew me to him.

An aching wave washes over the wound before settling back down to it’s previous hum of pain.

‘No.’

It’s harder than usual to push my emotions down; they seem to build on each other, starting with the ones that the blue haired bastard brought up. I feel the faint burning sensation radiating from my neck flare up again at the thought of him.

Surely it’s just because it’s been brought to the front of my attention, it can’t actually be hurting more than before at the mere thought of him. Though it’s getting increasingly more difficult to ignore how each unpleasant thought is met with an unpleasant sensation.

Regardless, my tone remains even. “I’m sure upset is the best fitting word.”

Mahihkan lets out a soft laugh ebbing away some of my irritation as I’m reminded again why I had a minor… infatuation for him in my younger years.

The pain that radiates through the mark is sharp this time aggressive like I did something to aggravate it. I continue ignoring it anyways. Despite the pain I find comfort in it burning at the thought of something other than the being that left it.

‘Clearly I need a refresh on what no means.’

Now leaning against the door frame his voice is soft. — And filled with amusement? “Yeah, upset definitely not any obscene or insulting words.”

The confusion has to have shown on my face because he‘s quick to add on. “I was worried, you know that maybe something had happened while you were there, but you seem better than you’ve been.” disapproval seeps into his tone. “I’m glad you had a nice time with them in the human world. Even if their antics are obnoxious and distasteful.”

My eyes narrow a bit. ‘Ah, false alarm, he’s back to his usual self nobody panic’

Blinking away my expression I’m grateful that he doesn’t press for any details about my night, that he’s under the impression of going oh so very well.

Images of glowing eyes flashing through my mind, I ignore them and push them away only to immediately regret it when what surfaces instead is memories of what his kiss felt like.

For a split second the thought of him isn’t met by negative feelings before I realize and rapidly course correct myself with reminders of his brash behavior and the obvious issue. His identity as a demon. If I hadn’t been so focussed on immediately reminding myself of aversions I might have noticed that for a split second the pain was no more before returning at a high intensity.

But I only take notice of the pulsating pain that travels harshly through the mark he left, it burns through my skin. I imagine that if I hovered my hand over it I could feel heat radiating off of it.

‘That’s definitely abnormal. At least I think it’s abnormal, I’ve not exactly been bitten by a demon before.’

I’m pulled from my thoughts when Mahihkan decides to fill the silence. “Something’s different about you.”

I arch my brow at him unamused by his opinion; my tone flat. “Different?”

He has a soft genuine smile but his words shake me. “Good, different, your souls brighter, I can feel it.”

I instinctually close off the small access he had to my soul, but he continues on without acknowledging it. “I’m glad that something brought you closer to how you used to be, whatever that thing may be. Just… promise me you won’t get into too much trouble with Aseena and Kyrie okay?”

It takes a lot to keep my expression from changing and giving me away. ‘If only you knew’

For all the dissatisfaction he has for the things Aseena and Kyrie get up to messing about with, a demon would rival some of the things higher up on the list.

Again memories of his lips on mine invade my mind, a bubbling resentment for the demon grows, and again the bite he left burns hotter. I ignore it.

I lie straight to his face without faltering. “Sure, promise.”

His mouth shifts into a thin line before he speaks. “Not that you’ll keep it if you don’t mean it when you say it.” I know you well enough to know that, but I doubt you’ll do anything too bad this soon after only just revisiting the human world. I trust you”

‘You shouldn’t’

He’s right though and I hate it. He knows me too well, well not well enough to know I’m lying, but I would never break a promise that I meant, and if I happen to not mean a promise when I make then sue me for not caring to keep it.

I mean technically it’s not a total lie. Don’t get me wrong I have no intention of holding myself to any such promise, who knows what Kyrie and Aseena will rope me into; but I don’t have any intention of repeating last night. I want to stay far far away from the blue haired demon bastard.

This time the resulting palpitation of pain is familiar and almost expected.

He looks like he’s about to say something else, but nothing leaves his mouth so I decide to speak instead. “Anything else?”

It’s not polite but it’s not rude either, just blunt.

He looks like he wants to find something else to say though he must draw a blank because all he says is. “No, that’s all.”

Leaning off of the doorframe he shoots me one last look before leaving, shutting the door behind him. I slump over in his absence, staring at the floor, bringing a hand up to cover my face before dragging my feet as I walk over to the door, locking it so no more sudden visitors can appear before walking back over to the mirror.

Discarding the blanket I observe the bite mark again. It still looks just as fresh as before, I reach my hand up to my neck letting my palm hover over it. To my surprise I actually can feel heat radiation off of the burning mark.

‘What the hell?’

Tilting my head to the side to get a better look I brush my fingertips over it, I expect it to sting more when I do Shaking my head incredulously I back away from the mirror choosing to go back to ignoring it for now in favor of a hot shower, and changing out of last nights clothes.

Walking into the bathroom intentionally avoiding the bathroom mirror I turn on the facet then strip myself of my dress and undergarments before stepping into the boiling stream raining down.

The tension and haunting memories subtle to the background of my mind, still there but dramatically eased with the gentle heat from the water. The steam clouding up the room along with my senses. Getting out begrudgingly despite having let myself stay exceedingly longer than necessary I towel dry off, and pick my soiled clothes up off the floor, before walking out of the bathroom in search of clean clothes.

I look down at the short simple white dress I had worn the night prior remembering our parting moment. The feeling of him gently tugging the hem away from my body, not up, just out, not to get a look at what was underneath, just to keep holding on.

The pain ebbs away to gentle ache. And stays that way.

I stiffen at the memory, quickly tossing the dress into the hamper, walking over to my dresser to hurry and clothe myself. It’s irrational but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s going to return any second. There’s no way for him, a demon, to get here where angels reside.

Despite knowing this I let irrationality guide my actions throwing on a plain oversized black hoodie and leggings. Definitely not an angelic stylistic choice, but very comfortable.

I dry my hair then tuck it away into a long loose braid adding a black ribbon tied in a neat bow to the end.

I feel better now, less tired now that I’m clean, and dressed in fresh clothes. The ribbon makes me feel pretty even though I’m dressed down.

If not for the burning mark still on my neck It’d be like any other day, but the mark is there, and adamant I not forget about it though the hoodie covers it up the slight steady sting is more than enough of a reminder. No matter where my focus is concentrated, a part of my attention is occupied by this infuriating memento of the blue haired demon I can’t seem to forget.

Yet another pang shoots through the mark.

‘Whatever, It’ll heal eventually, All will be fine’

I’m not lying to myself when I think about it, all rationality points to this being a minor inconvenience that will go away once the oddity of a mark disappears. I have no reason to believe otherwise.

—

My certainty of that wavers as I sit in my room 10 hours later with a mark sitting on my skin fresh as a daisy, and thoughts of returning to the human world plaguing my mind.

Not once has my mind drifted away to focus on something other than the blue haired demon. My only moment of respite being while I was in the shower and even then he clouded the back of my mind. If not him directly then his mark which was no better as far as I was concerned.

…And if not his mark then going back into the human world and that was so much worse. I couldn’t it would single handedly be the worst decision I ever made. Why would I go back to the place where a demon was waiting for me? Go back so I could run into a demon that bit me!

A demon who’s mark still rests prominently on my skin inflicting me with a continuous ache burning through my skin. All things that should serve as more than enough of a deterrent, yet here I am having to stop myself from going anyway. I tell myself that there's no reason for him to be waiting for me but it brings little comfort.

—

Another two hours passes before I give into the temptation with the justification that I wouldn’t run into the demon who caused my current issues.

‘I’ll just watch him from a distance so that maybe I can find answers as to why the bite he left won’t heal.’

Putting on socks and shoes I once again reform myself to look more human before closing my eyes disappearing from my room and opening them once I’ve reappeared in the same alley from yesterday.

It’s dark this time, already night time with the moon high in the sky. I walk out from the alley pleased that there’s no one around with it being late and there being no fair taking place nearby.

It occurs to me as I stand alone in the dark street that I don’t know where to find him. I thought about going to the rooftop but quickly shut down the idea seeing as he was able to spot me there before.

‘But I don’t know where else to go… and I doubt he’ll randomly be talking about demon bites casually…’

‘Maybe I should talk to him, surely he has answers.’

I register the new soft warmth that soothes over the bite before I notice the way the stinging pauses. It only lasts a second before reverting back to its previous ache.

As unsettling as it is, it confirms my decision to talk to him by increasing my need for answers as my list of questions grows.

Still not having a definitive way to find him, I decide to take the miniscule chance of running into him, the only place we’ve ever met. The rooftop. Hopefully he’ll have had the same idea as me, I ignore the voice in my head telling me that if he had the same idea it wouldn’t be for the same reasons.

Turning the corner that lets the particular building come into view it’s not the building that steals my attention first, no it’s the vibrant golden glowing eyes that haven’t left my mind since the first time they met mine.

He’s sitting on the rooftop the same way I was last night, legs dangling over the edge as he lazily leans back on his palms. The only demon trait he takes on is his eyes, but from the distance we’re at now I watch them flicker into a cerulean blue after meeting mine.

He doesn’t move from his spot staring into my eyes, keeping me pinned even with the vast distance between us.

I begin walking towards him and a lazy smirk makes its way on his face, like he’s satisfied that I proved him right. It makes my skin crawl, and my mark burn.

Finally reaching the building after what felt like forever when his eyes never left mine, I looked up at him from below while attempting to find first words to start the conversation. Words that would never come to fruition because he took the liberty of speaking first.

His voice was soft and teasing. “Couldn’t stay away either hmm Angel?”

The velvety timbre of his voice was tantalising in ways you would never admit not to yourself and definitely not to him.

Ignoring his teasing or maybe in spite of his teasing your response is confident and direct. “You owe me answers.”

“Oh? I owe you something, do I?”

Unwavering you don’t let him shake you. “Yes.”

Vanishing into pink smoke he reappears a foot in front of me. The scent of vanilla and burnt caramel invades my nose as he leans down to look at me as he speaks lightly holding my face in one of his hands. “Yeah, what’s that Angel? What do you need from me?”

Seduction drips from his words like honey and a very pleasant warmth radiates through his mark. He must feel the heat radiating from the bite because his hand trails from my face down to the collar of my hoodie tugging it down to reveal the bite.

A heat blooms in his eyes as they return to a glowing gold, he traces his fingers gently over it, his breath hitching. The warmth spreads and soothes me more.

I speak without looking down at his ministrations on the mark he left. “I need you to tell me what’s happening to me because of you biting me.”

He ignores my statement in favor of asking another question, but this one doesn’t hold the same teasing lilt the others had. “How long have the patterns been appearing on it?”

“Paterns ?”

His voice is deep and gentle. “The patterns that appear when you touch it.”

My head shoots down, I crane my neck to be able to see it, to my horror there are purple patterns lighting up pink the places his fingers touch closest to; the marks on his own hand lighting up pink where his fingers brush over my skin as well. My surprised reaction gives him his answer. “Just now then?”

He reluctantly pulls his hand away hovering over the bite, the pink fade but the purple marks stay. He lets his hand fall to his side and the marks slowly start to fade away, I reach my own hand up to see if it reacts to my touch. It doesn’t, the patterns continue fading away to nothing.

A look of pure dissatisfaction crosses over his face before he roughly grabs hold of my arm tugging me closer to him, placing his other hand back over the mark and watching as the patterns reappear on my skin slowly spreading out from their origin place of the bite.

They spread farther out then they did the first time reaching far enough down to spread over the top of my breast before stopping.

A look of satisfaction passes over his face, he looks deep in thought.

“So what’s happening?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know Angel.”

It’s infuriating and I prepare myself for the corresponding burn, but it doesn’t come. The soothing warmth continues radiating through his mark as he rests his fingertips over it.

“That’s not funny. You’re really not gonna tell me what’s going on?”

I don’t know why I’m taken by surprise that he won’t clue me in to what’s happening, he’s a brazen overly cocky demon who seems very intent on pushing all of my boundaries he can.

“Maybe if you convince me I’ll tell you.”

“Fuck you.”

“That would definitely push you closer to convincing me.” The blue haired bastard had the audacity to wink at me as he said it.

I glared at him, shoving his arms off of me and stepping back. He laughed, “Maybe next time you’ll do a better job at convincing me.”

“See you later Angel.” stepping closer again he leaned down to my neck licking over the bite then placing a gentle kiss to it before once again disappearing in a puff of pink smoke to who knows where.

I’m left dazed in the middle of the dark empty street, bite tingling and warm— and already starting to ache again in the blue haired demon's absence?

I crane my neck again pulling my hoodie down myself to watch as the purple patterns slowly disappear starting from the edges making their way to the center of the bite. Leaving behind only the bite itself and the dark purple hickey he left.

Letting go of my hoodie I stand motionless trying to collect my thoughts. Desperately trying to think of a logical explanation, unable to come up with any solid ideas.

I stare up at the sky looking intently at the stars as if they can provide me with the knowledge that I was unable to get out of the blue haired demon or come up with myself.

I breathe in through my nose getting the last remnants of vanilla and burnt caramel that he left behind, trying my hardest not to let myself spiral from the thoughts of the bite being a much larger problem then I had previously thought. A problem that didn’t seem like it would be going away anytime soon.

Successfully putting those thoughts to the back of my mind only to be confronted with the idea that he had implied we would be meeting again. Shuddering at the thought of what that meeting would entail, at the thought of what the demon hoped it would entail.

The implication he had made sending heat up to my face and boiling over where he left his mark.