Ten years is longer than it seems, I assure you

  William had faintly heard their little quarrel, but not enough to make out what it was about. “Good morning, my dear,” he smiled. He held up an envelope. “All the documents and such are in here.” He was glad he’d managed to work this out. While Jenna seemed like a lovely woman, arranged marriage was archaic, and he wouldn’t want to force her into that. Especially since he was a demon.

"Thank you." She smiled, taking the envelope from him. "Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?" She asked, smiling slightly. She was happy this was over and done with but part of her wanted to get to know him better. Despite what Abigail said. 

He didn't need to drink. Or eat. He had no reason to stay. "That sounds lovely." Wait, why did he say that? Well, it could be worse...Jenna was a lovely person...

"Yeah, that sounds fine. Do you remember which apartment I’m in?" She asked, getting a mug out of the cabinet. 

He nodded. “Yes, of course. Is there anything else I should bring by or just the documents you gave me?”

"Just the documents..oh and do you have that note?" She asked, "I can’t find it…I think it’s torn and the other half is in the box but I haven’t taken a look at it yet." She said, going to look for the box. 

William nodded. “Yes, of course I have it my dear.” He wouldn’t dare lose that. Even if it would hide the fact he was a crossroads demon. “I can certainly bring it.”

William had faintly heard their little quarrel, but not enough to make out what it was about. "Good morning, my dear," he smiled. He held up an envelope. "All the documents and such are in here." He was glad he'd managed to work this out. While Jenna seemed like a lovely woman, arranged marriage was archaic, and he wouldn't want to force her into that. Especially since he was a demon.

"Yeah, that sounds fine. Do you remember which apartment I’m in?" She asked, getting a mug out of the cabinet. 

He nodded. “Yes, of course. Is there anything else I should bring by or just the documents you gave me?”

"Just the documents..oh and do you have that note?" She asked, "I can’t find it…I think it’s torn and the other half is in the box but I haven’t taken a look at it yet." She said, going to look for the box. 

William nodded. "Yes, of course I have it my dear." He wouldn't dare lose that. Even if it would hide the fact he was a crossroads demon. "I can certainly bring it."

"Yeah, that sounds fine. Do you remember which apartment I’m in?" She asked, getting a mug out of the cabinet. 

He nodded. "Yes, of course. Is there anything else I should bring by or just the documents you gave me?"

He was covered in vampire blood, currently going to take a shower. It was 1am but she figured she might as well make a cup of tea before watching the news. She eventually fell asleep on the couch after that. She woke up to her phone ringing, answering it with a sleepy ” ‘llo?” It was 10am at least. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. 

"Jenna?" William said as she finally answered. He hoped he didn’t wake her up. "It’s William. I’ve tripled checked everything and the fact that your parents died before you were 18 makes the arranged marriage null and void." As when they died they were no longer her legal guardians, she could no longer be held responsible for following through on a deal her parents made.

"Yeah..yeah, it’s me…I’m here.." She said, running a hand through her messy blonde hair. "Can…can I have the document back? It…" She sighed. It seemed silly but it had their handwriting and she really missed them. "It’s silly but I just really want it back. Put it back where it belongs." Part of her wanted to see him again too. 

William nodded. “Yes, of course. I understand completely.” Though he’d never tell anyone, he kept a note from his younger sister in an inner pocket of his suit. It’d been buried with him and it helped him keep in touch with his human side. He really was quite sentimental. “When should I stop by?”

"Thank you…and any time, really. I’m home all day, as far as I know." She said, standing and stretching before going to make coffee. "As soon as possible would be even better.." 

"I can be there in ten minutes," William said. "Would that work?" He picked up the documents from the desk.

He was covered in vampire blood, currently going to take a shower. It was 1am but she figured she might as well make a cup of tea before watching the news. She eventually fell asleep on the couch after that. She woke up to her phone ringing, answering it with a sleepy ” ‘llo?” It was 10am at least. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. 

"Jenna?" William said as she finally answered. He hoped he didn’t wake her up. "It’s William. I’ve tripled checked everything and the fact that your parents died before you were 18 makes the arranged marriage null and void." As when they died they were no longer her legal guardians, she could no longer be held responsible for following through on a deal her parents made.

"Yeah..yeah, it’s me…I’m here.." She said, running a hand through her messy blonde hair. "Can…can I have the document back? It…" She sighed. It seemed silly but it had their handwriting and she really missed them. "It’s silly but I just really want it back. Put it back where it belongs." Part of her wanted to see him again too. 

William nodded. "Yes, of course. I understand completely." Though he'd never tell anyone, he kept a note from his younger sister in an inner pocket of his suit. It'd been buried with him and it helped him keep in touch with his human side. He really was quite sentimental. "When should I stop by?"

He was covered in vampire blood, currently going to take a shower. It was 1am but she figured she might as well make a cup of tea before watching the news. She eventually fell asleep on the couch after that. She woke up to her phone ringing, answering it with a sleepy ” ‘llo?” It was 10am at least. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. 

"Jenna?" William said as she finally answered. He hoped he didn't wake her up. "It's William. I've tripled checked everything and the fact that your parents died before you were 18 makes the arranged marriage null and void." As when they died they were no longer her legal guardians, she could no longer be held responsible for following through on a deal her parents made.

Jenna knew that Abigail went to go talk to him but she couldn’t figure out why. What was so wrong and different about William? A thought came to her mind then as she grabbed the phone book. She started calling every law firm in town, looking for him. When he didn’t turn up, she frowned. Was he…trying to con her? The thought of him not being human never crossed her mind. 

William spent the rest of the evening cross-referencing the papers with different rules about deals and breaking them. It took hours, but finally at about 1am he found the evidence to prove his theory and nullify the deal. He almost called Jenna then...but remembered she'd be asleep. He'd call in the morning.

William made sure he was out of view of their house before disappearing. Now to double check everything on the agreement…

Abigail appeared behind him. She had grabbed him by the arm then, twisting it behind his back before pressing him against the wall. “So what’s your plan, exactly? Your angle? What do you want from Jenna?” 

Damn it. He should’ve suspected she would do something like this. “No plan, no angle, I assure you. I want what she wants—to nullify this bloody arranged marriage.” He didn’t even struggle, not wanting to make the situation worse. “I promise I won’t be making any deals with her.”

"You better not. I want to trust you…you seem different..but you know this business, probably better than I do. Jenna is my friend and it took years for her to warm up to me. You know why? Her brother was murdered by a demon and she was brutally tortured. She would be dead if it wasn’t for an angel. She’s terrified of demons so obviously she doesn’t know what you are. She’s starting to like you…I’d tell her the truth if you even care about her somewhere deep in your blackened heart." She pulled away from him. "And part of me thinks you do because you’re incredibly soft on her…with her. Just don’t hurt her or I will rip you out of that human shell and take you back to hell myself where I will destroy you again and again and again until I feel you’ve learned your lesson. You remember what it feels like to be tortured? I’ll make it so much worse." She said, hand balling into a slight fist as she slightly clenched his heart without touching him. She unclenched her hand. "Don’t hurt her." And with that, Abigail was gone. 

William made sure he was out of view of their house before disappearing. Now to double check everything on the agreement…

Abigail appeared behind him. She had grabbed him by the arm then, twisting it behind his back before pressing him against the wall. “So what’s your plan, exactly? Your angle? What do you want from Jenna?” 

Damn it. He should've suspected she would do something like this. "No plan, no angle, I assure you. I want what she wants--to nullify this bloody arranged marriage." He didn't even struggle, not wanting to make the situation worse. "I promise I won't be making any deals with her."

  He nodded. “Of course, my dear. I’ll do the best I can.” He’d come up with a clever lie… It was better than the truth. Part of him didn’t want to lie to her though, which was odd. He usually had no problem with lying. He smiled and stood. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I’ll call if I find anything.”

"Okay." She smiled before saying "do you need a ride somewhere? You said you walked.." 

He shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine walking. It’s a lovely day and this isn’t too far from where I’m staying.”

"Okay, well..I’ll be hearing from you then." She smiled slightly, walking him to the door. Once he was gone, she went to look for a case. Abigail would be there to answer the phone if he called. 

William made sure he was out of view of their house before disappearing. Now to double check everything on the agreement...

  He nodded. “Of course, my dear. I’ll do the best I can.” He’d come up with a clever lie… It was better than the truth. Part of him didn’t want to lie to her though, which was odd. He usually had no problem with lying. He smiled and stood. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I’ll call if I find anything.”

"Okay." She smiled before saying "do you need a ride somewhere? You said you walked.." 

He shook his head. "No, I'll be fine walking. It's a lovely day and this isn't too far from where I'm staying."

  He nodded. “That would be wonderful, thank you.” He was almost positive their death would nullify the marriage but he still wanted to take tonight to check everything.

Jenna stood and disappeared down the hall before coming back 20 minutes later. She looked down at the copy. “It’s…gruesome.” She handed it to him then. “I couldn’t find the obituary but I had the police report still…so you just get the nitty gritty about organs missing. Sorry. I really do appreciate this, William…thank you.” 

William nodded, talking the copy from her. “It’s the least I can do, my dear.” An arranged marriage had been a poor agreement on his part. What had he been thinking? “I should’ve remembered to come and nullify this earlier.”

"Well…it was still nice meeting you." Jenna said, smiling slightly. "And if there’s anything else I can do to help, let me know." She added, ignoring the feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Do you…do you think you could find out why this was a thing…?" 

He nodded. "Of course, my dear. I'll do the best I can." He'd come up with a clever lie... It was better than the truth. Part of him didn't want to lie to her though, which was odd. He usually had no problem with lying. He smiled and stood. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I'll call if I find anything."

  He nodded. “That would be wonderful, thank you.” He was almost positive their death would nullify the marriage but he still wanted to take tonight to check everything.

Jenna stood and disappeared down the hall before coming back 20 minutes later. She looked down at the copy. “It’s…gruesome.” She handed it to him then. “I couldn’t find the obituary but I had the police report still…so you just get the nitty gritty about organs missing. Sorry. I really do appreciate this, William…thank you.” 

William nodded, talking the copy from her. "It's the least I can do, my dear." An arranged marriage had been a poor agreement on his part. What had he been thinking? "I should've remembered to come and nullify this earlier."

  "Oh." He hadn’t realized she’d been so young… But her brother should’ve said something, when she was older of course, if he knew. "I’m sure." From what he’d picked up, no Hunter had it easy, for obvious reasons. He read over the paper again, an idea forming in his mind. "I think I might know how to nullify this…I’ll need to look up some things though. Would you mind if I took this home?" He held up the agreement. "I can get it back to you tomorrow."

"That’s fine, yeah. You know where to find me now." She said, smiling slightly. "Can I ask what you’re going to do though or..? I’m just curious, that’s all. I want to make sure it’s officially off the table."

"Well…since your parents passed well before the date of the marriage, I think that in itself nullified the marriage because they weren’t your legal guardians after that and as such couldn’t make you follow through with it…" He explained. "I’ll need to double check though, look at the exact wording of and such."

"Our uncle raised us then and then when he was old enough, my brother got custody but my brother is…yeah..I can get you a copy of the obituary, if you need it." She looked at him after she finished speaking. 

He nodded. "That would be wonderful, thank you." He was almost positive their death would nullify the marriage but he still wanted to take tonight to check everything.

  "Oh." He hadn’t realized she’d been so young… But her brother should’ve said something, when she was older of course, if he knew. "I’m sure." From what he’d picked up, no Hunter had it easy, for obvious reasons. He read over the paper again, an idea forming in his mind. "I think I might know how to nullify this…I’ll need to look up some things though. Would you mind if I took this home?" He held up the agreement. "I can get it back to you tomorrow."

"That’s fine, yeah. You know where to find me now." She said, smiling slightly. "Can I ask what you’re going to do though or..? I’m just curious, that’s all. I want to make sure it’s officially off the table."

"Well...since your parents passed well before the date of the marriage, I think that in itself nullified the marriage because they weren't your legal guardians after that and as such couldn't make you follow through with it..." He explained. "I'll need to double check though, look at the exact wording of and such."