Forsaken
Wide eyes and trembling lips turned slowly, gazing horridly down at her own hands. Blood soaked the very soil under her feet, flowing smoothly between the creases of her flesh. The smell of smoke and fire filled her lungs as tears sprung heavily from her thick lashes. A man stood tall from the ruins around them, metal sword glowing in the dim light with a crimson glint. His eyes, thin and deadly, met hers briefly. Raspy gasps filled his lungs as he struggled to catch his breath. Something, no, everything about him seemed wrong; even sinister.
"Stop doing this to me," He growled harshly, keeping his gaze away from the frightened child. Her eyes widened more as she still continued to stand frozen in a pool of blood.
"I haven't done anything to you!" She gasped, huffing violently under the pressure of approaching sobs. He once again glanced at her, noticing the wounds slicing down her bare legs, the bites on her hands. What had happened to her?
"Master will not be happy with those injuries, and guess who he will blame?"
"I don't care what the man has to say!" She screamed suddenly, overcome by the rage she felt towards the man's master. "Hell! If he wants my hands so badly he can take them!" She dug her fingernails into her wrists suddenly, desperate to yank off her own hands. The man was before her within a second, pulling her hands apart and forcing them behind her back. "No! Let me go! I will not go back!" She cried, struggling with all the strength she had.
As if unfazed he tied her wrists together as easily as slicing butter and flung her over his shoulder. "If I do not bring you back by night fall, he will have my head for dinner." The man growled softly as he picked up his sword and began to walk away from the burning rubble.
"Unhand me demon!" She screamed, kicking and jerking.
"Struggle as much as you desire, girl. You should know by now you're attempts are futile,"
She screamed loudly and suddenly went limp in his grasp. The man hesitated slightly before he picked up on her steady heartbeat and continued on his way. Though being caged and treated like an animal wasn't enough, she was also very sick. She just refused to believe it. He knew all too well of it as well, for he was there the night they brought her to the palace.
The one night in her life that haunted her more than anything. The focus of her artistic abilities, when her biological parents tried to sacrifice her to him they called upon the rage of the Great Muse. For her soul was one of his very kin, he destroyed her home and slaughtered the villagers using the demon's own flesh. That was the focus point of her paintings, her story writing. She tried and tried to draw something normal, write a love story; however, in the long run it was futile. She was still haunted to this day of the demon he was, though she knew not that he himself was the cause of her nightmares.
The Master was as dark and twisted as her parents had been, and loved her artwork to the point of obsession. When he had discovered the man she painted had in fact been the demon carrying the child at that very second, he went out of his way to catch the demon and make him his pet. After doing so, which had been a very long and pocket draining experience, the Master than discovered why the girl drew the horrid images. He grew even more attached to the child after hearing the story the demon told him. Though, the demon had left out one very important detail. The Great Muse would one day return to the child and take her away to live peacefully where she belonged.
Though, the demon himself was nervous for that fate. What would the Great Muse do when he discovered the demon and the child living together within the same walls? Both prisoners to a human of obsession.
"Why do you stay, demon?" The girl whispered softly, startling the creature. He gazed away from her, pondering over the question. "Surely, someone of your strength and abilities you could easily find a loop hole in your contract."
"You know a lot about dealing with demons, don't you?" He asked in response. She pushed up on his back so she could see behind them clearly.
"Not really, not compared to what you know. But you haven't answered my question,"
"Yes, Peirce. I have found a loop hole in my contract, however, I haven't decided whether or not I should act upon it or not."
"Why not?"
"Because killing isn't really my thing," He said causally, though something dark flashed in his eyes.
The child snorted. "You're really good at it,"
"Where I come from, you have to be." He growled. She bit her lip softly. "Will you try to run away again if I put you down?"
"I don't make promises with demons!" She growled. Oh how she wanted to be put down though. He shrugged.
"Suit yourself,"
"Ugh," Came her dissatisfying remark. He rolled his eyes.
He was walking across rocks now; so many in fact you couldn't even see the soil beneath them. Caverns stretched down into the darkness and the salty wind blew sharply. Her long brown hair shot up around her face as the lace ribbon blew away in the breeze.
"No!" She gasped, reaching toward it but only feeling it brush against the tips of her fingers. He spun around within a second, his own fingers curling around the red piece of fabric like a claw. He stuffed it in his pocket and continued on his way silently all the while the child continued to glare at the back of his head. "Give it back,"
He snorted in response.
"Now,"
"Why? You'll just loose it again. And stop untying your hands whenever I turn my back," She blushed suddenly and clasped her hands together. She hadn't realized he'd noticed.
"It belonged to my mother, please, just give it back."
"All the more reason to burn it,"
"Why?!" She gasped. He rolled his eyes and fell into silence again. The girl tried to stretch towards his pocket, to pick it out, but he was too tall and she was too short. It didn't take long before the palace gates to come into view, and when they did both the demon and the child felt their hearts drop. Their couple hours of freedom were now to be over with until she was able to run away again.
The gates opened immediately and a man shorter than the demon by a full two feet flew out to them. His black robs whisked rapidly around him as he came to an abrupt halt, seeing the blood dried onto the child's legs. He was shorter than the average human male and also slightly on the heavy side. His hair had thinned with age and his dark eyes were always so easy to read.
The demon raised his hand at the man's alarm. "I have no idea what happened to the child, she must have fallen down the Stone Spirals you had created to keep her in. Ask her yourself, for I do not wish to know." He leaned down and slid her off his shoulders, setting her on her feet and handing her the ribbon. Her eyes widened in shock and she reached for it.
"Do not talk down to me demon!" The man roared as he yanked the child away. Her eyes widened more as she tried to grab the ribbon, but he only continued to forcefully lead her away. Which, was much more awkward than how the demon had handled her. Then again, the demon also had superhuman strength. "You may sleep outside the palace walls, filthy creature! Until you learn how to speak to your masters more appropriately!"
"Here we go again," He rolled his eyes and glanced down at the red silk between his fingers. It defiantly smelled of her mother.
"Finally," A snappy voice growled and he turned slowly. "I mean dammit Leo, do you got your hands full or what? Guarding a human girl all the while letting him fuck you in the ass. Your life is just nasty now days,"
"Nice to see you too Jasmine," Leo mused; his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. His twin shrugged with a smile as she strutted towards him and inspected him closely.
"Well, you seem to be in once piece. So, what's the story here?" She jerked her finger towards the palace. "I can feel a couple spell casters, and dare I say it, werewolves?"
He nodded softly. "The spell casters are hired by the Count to keep the wolves in line. The werewolves are to guard the lands from intruders and raiders, basically any human threat that might want to take away the child."
"All this for a human girl? Is she like...his toy or something?" Leo shook his head.
"Not yet anyway, he doesn't want to push her too bad. Honestly I think he gets off watching her paint. The room is full of one-sided mirrors and he's always pressed against them, whispering to himself. His expression when he watches her is always distasteful itself,"
"Disgusting," She glanced at the castle and shuttered. "So, what's your contract?"
"That as long as he still breaths and she is within his care I am to serve and protect both of them to my dying breath," A sinister grin spread across her face.
"What a foolish human, did he even read the manual when concerning demons? Well, are you going to kill him?"
"Nope," She frowned.
"Want me to do it?"
"No thanks,"
"Why not? Honestly, do you get off on being told what to do? Because, there's this family of Dark Elves who need your assistance. Ten months ago the wife was raped by an Incubus,"
"Zen," Leo gasped and smacked his forehead. "I completely forgot about him, I got so caught up with the girl."
"Oh, so that's why you're staying." An amused expression crossed her features and a blush spread across his face.
"No! You disgusting witch, just mind your own business."
"Ha! You got the hots for a human!" She laughed.
"Dammit woman! Tell me what you know of Zen, how'd you find out about his wife?" She sighed and put her hand on her hips.
Leonardo scratched his chin for a long time, his dark eyes distant with faraway places. His sister watched him for a moment before growing bored and looking back toward the castle. Her eyes widened ever so slightly and she placed one finger on her full lips.
"She is the one who paints the magical paintings..." She gasped. "The Great Muse's presence is nearly overwhelming,"
"Yeah, I know. Technically it's her fault I got captured," Leo said with a sour tone.
"You have to get her away from this man, Muse will blame you! You already have a past with the god; you cannot push him more than you already have."
"I know dammit!" He ran both hands through his hair and groaned. "Ugh, let me go check on Zen while I'm being banned from the castle. Can you stay here and watch after Peirce?"
"Sure, because you asked so nicely and I'm truly curious." He nodded and turned. Two black wings shot out of his back with lightning speed, each massive and nearly two times bigger than his sisters. He bent his knees slowly before shooting into the gray sky. Jasmine turned slowly and began walking towards the gates, her eyes locked onto a tower in the center of the palace. Fog slowly started to gather around her as she continued walking, until she herself could not be seen and she stepped through the metal bars. She continued to walk towards the tower; the fog building and building and soon it began to rain.
Those wide eyes, filled with so much emotion they almost always looked as if she was crying, sparkled a jade green as she looked towards the window suddenly. She slowly stood up, her plain white gown covered in different colors of paints.
"Who are you?" She whispered towards the stone window, knowing it could hear her.
"Haha, you are a smart one. I assume Leo taught you how to feel?" Pierce shook her head slowly, her long chocolate brown hair spiraling down past her shoulders.
"I've always been able to feel his presence, your presence, the werewolves and mystics." She glanced away slowly, her eyes scanning the walls. Fire burned in sketchy pictures, blood glistened on the floor, and a pair of wide blood red eyes watched her from every corner of the room. Jasmine slowly stepped in through the window and the fog blew away instantly. Peirce glanced at her sideways as she slowly began to walk around the room. Her eyes scanned everything, the paintings on the walls and colored canvases lying on the floor. A solitary bed held a single blanket, and nothing else.
"This man," She said softly, her slender fingers touching one of the paintings, her gaze lingering on the red eyes. "Who is he?" She asked, though she had a bad feeling she knew who it was.
Peirce shrugged as she twirled the paintbrush in her fingers. Jasmine glanced back at the image, her eyes following the dark outline.
"You are Leo's sister than?" Peirce asked softly. Jasmine spun around and grinned at the child.
"Yes I am. He's been gone for a long time, almost ten months now. So I came looking for him,"
"Well, don't stare into that painting. It'll capture you," Peirce warned as she turned to the painting she had been working on earlier. Jasmine blinked in shock and glanced back at the painting again. The man looked like he had stepped forward, and now he was extending his hand...
Jasmine took two large strides till she was standing by Peirce and she peered over her shoulder.
"You are a demon, if you stay any longer in this room you will never leave." Peirce whispered as she began painting another outline of the same man. Jasmine took a step back and looked around. Suddenly there was twice as many dark figures and they were all approaching her, their hands extending, smiles growing on their already twisted faces.
"Good god!" She gasped as she jumped to the window. "Leo's left for a while, I'll be here to protect you instead, if you need anything don't be afraid to call okay?" She asked before she disappeared. Peirce only stared.
"Have you made a deal with the Count?"
"No, only a promise to my little brother."
"Can you do something for me then, since you are to serve and protect me for the time being?" Ha, serve? Hell no.
"Hmmm it depends, what do you have in mind?" Jasmine asked from the bottom of the tower.
"Kill him," Peirce whispered, sending mental images of the Count. The order continued to echo inside Jasmine's head over and over again as she was gripping her forehead in pain. Her eyes had widened to the point they might burst as she was filled with the pain and fear and rage the child felt for the man. And, now that she was inside Peirce's head, she could see the shadow-man much more clearly than in the paintings.
It was Leonard, only... different.
"Why do you want him dead? And Leo wants him to stay alive? I don't understand..." Jasmine gasped, throwing her back against the brick wall and gazing into the sky with a horrified expression. Peirce leaned out the window, letting red paint drip off of her brush and land lightly on Jasmine's shoulders.
"I can see into the man's mind, unlike Leo." She whispered, sending more images towards the demon. Her pupils constricting to the point they looked like mere specks. Though these images weren't as clear as her direct memories, almost like going through a filter, she still saw the Count's memories, heard his thoughts, and felt is imagination wrap around her. She shook her head violently.
"Oh god," Jasmine gasped. Normally, such human feelings wouldn't bother her so much; however, somehow she was experiencing exactly what Peirce had experienced. She was sending her exact memories and feelings straight into the demon's heart and mind.
"Leo doesn't understand, he doesn't want to kill. Even though everything about him scares me," Peirce growled, her eyes going distant as she focused on the male demon. Jasmine's eyes widened as she saw how Leo looked in Peirce's eyes.
He was tall, very tall. His cloak hugged to him like a second skin and stretched down way further than it actually did. His short, dark hair spiked out in sinister horns and his eyes had a red tint to them. A cruel smile covered his features and his sword looked like that of a giant fang.
Jasmine focused hard on sending her own image to the child. Sweat slid down the side of her head and Peirce suddenly grabbed her own head, throwing herself back into the room with an agonizing scream.
The Leo inside her memories began to change into that of the normal Leo. His short dark hair was messy and unkempt, giving him cute boyish features. His dark eyes more distant than filled with rage, erasing the red tint completely. His cloak resembling that of an old duster, rather than the evil trench coat in the girls memories, and his dark jeans were torn and tattered.
"This...can't be Leo..." Peirce gasped, her head gripped tightly between her fingers and her wide eyes staring at the ceiling. Jasmine focused on making the memory of Leo grin, which was goofy and cute, even inviting to the human girl.
"This is Leo, dear child. You only saw him as evil because it was his job to keep you locked away within these walls. When really, a demon is a demon. We are here to serve the most powerful; or the highest bid. And between you and the Count, the Count is more powerful." Jasmine whispered feeling drained. Peirce's mind was too powerful, she was either an ancient and had forgotten, or she was a physic. She was most likely both.
"Kill him," Peirce repeated, her memory completely wiping away Leo and filling with that of the Count. Jasmine grabbed her heart and closed her eyes in pain, her body and mind filling with what Peirce was sending.
"Give me just a little bit longer, please." Jasmine begged. "Let me scout the area, let me contact my brother and find out what exactly has been going on. Then, when I find out what I need to know, I swear I will either convince Leo to kill the man, or I will do it myself. Please, just give me time." Peirce released her grip on Jasmine and she fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
"I like you better than him, your past isn't hidden from me; I know I can trust you." Pierce whispered and Jasmine blinked hard, breathing even harder.