9. Black-Eyed Demon

"Why do I have to come with you? You should have done this by yourself!"

Rage's grandfather asked him to buy some stuffs in the town for the preparation, and he dragged me with him. I couldn't say no because Richard Black was in front of us. 

"And your grandfather has a lot of subordinates. Why did he have to make his grandson do the job?"

"It was just an excuse."

My forhead creased. "Excuse? What do you mean exactly?"

"He is thinking that you might want to take a look of the town. He wants us to give alone time together, if your pretty head still don't get it."

"Why do we need to have alone time together? We have been together yesterday and last night. Your face is already giving me an eyesore."

He winced as if he was hurting. "Your words stung, love."

My expression turned grim. 

"Do you really want to die?"

"If you would be the one to kill me, then it would be my pleasure." He winked. He is not really taking me seriously.

"I'm warning you, mongrel. Stop. Calling. Me. That."

He only grinned as if he is enjoying my fury.

"Come on. Let's not fight over a petty matter. Let me just tour you around so you would know how beautiful this town is." He tried to reach for my hand by I shoved his hand away and glared at him.

He chuckled and raised both his hands.

"Fine. No touching."

I looked at him grimly and followed his lead. It was such a pain in the ass walking around the town with no significant reason at all. We stopped from different shops to buy the stuffs needed. 

And at last, we stopped on a huge dress shop.

"What are we doing here?" I asked him. 

"Why do people go to clothing shops? To buy clothes, of course."

"I wish I can punch you real hard."

He grinned as usual. "How sweet of you."

Though before I could say more, he already pulled me inside the shop.

"Who gave you the right to drag me, you wicked son of a—"

"Shh..." Rage put his index finger on my lips.

"What are you—"

"Listen, Elena. There is something wrong here," he said on a serious tone and pulled me behind the rack of dresses.

"What do you mean?" 

"There is a strong smell of blood from upstairs. Fresh blood."

My brow raised. "So?" 

I don't see anything wrong with smelling blood. Blood could be everywhere so why would that concern me.

"A lot of blood, Elena. Someone must be murdered here."

"And? Murder happens everywhere. It is nothing new."

He remained serious as if it is a critical situation. "The thing here is, I could smell another scent and it is certainly not a human's scent."

"Not a human? Your kind?"

He glared. "I am a human."

"Yeah. A human with extraordinary capabilities."

"I only claimed to be a human, not an ordinary human."

"Whatever you say. Now, if we don't have anything to do here, we should—"

"Hello, how may I help you?"

We both turned to the woman who showed yards away all of a sudden. Judging her looks, she must be around fourties. She was smiling but her eyes were blank, and the obvious dark circles below those suggested how poor her sleeping pattern was.

"Are you the owner of this shop?" I asked, tone was low and cold.

"Yes, I am."

Now I can see what he is trying to say. Now that she is close enough, I could smell the rusty scent of blood from her. I have smelled so much blood for the past four years of my life that I memorized the smell of it.

But I wonder why Rage did not smell a human's scent from her. Looking at her physical aspects, she looks very human. But her irises look strange. It was bit larger than the average size, and looked darker than the usual.

"Do you want to buy a dress for this beautiful lady?" he asked, looking at Rage. She smiled but the way she did it made his face looked distorted. If she is not human, then I wonder what she is?

"Don't look at her like that." Rage growled.

"I mean no harm, gentleman."

"What were you doing before we arrived? There is a small red stain in your sleeve. Were you hurt, perhaps?" I asked.

"Ah. This," she grinned. "I was cooking some stewed prunes, must be where I got the stain."

"You were cooking stewed prunes? Inside a dress shop? I don't smell the aroma of stewed prunes, though."

She remained calm, not even a little shock registered on her face. "I have a little kitchen there at the back."

Good alibi, huh.

"But how will you explain the fresh blood in your shoes?" Rage asked. 

My eyes went down at once. The woman's dress is long and covering her shoes, so I did not see what Rage is pointing out. With his innate sharp senses, he must have smelled it. I could smell the blood at this proximity too, but I couldn't pinpoint which part of her body has the strongest smell of blood.

"A werewolf," the woman said, her face turned grim and her eyes turned all black. What? A black-eyed demon?

I have encountered different kinds of human in the past years. I have seen sorcerers, magical beasts and even demons that pretend to be humans by using a human body. And this one is certainly a demon. A black-eyed demon to be specific. Killing women brutally before consuming their souls is what it does. Probably the reason why it chose to use the body of an owner of a dress shop since it is the place women usually visit. That way, it will not need to haunt for a prey because women come here in their own volition.

"Black-eyed demon," Rage recognized the creature as well. "How dare you make this place a nest for your filthy doings."

"Why would you care about those useless humans? You are not human yourself so why bother to—"

"I'm a human," Rage said briskly along with a ripping sound on his throat.

The woman smirked evilly. It is annoying. Maybe I should just divert all my frustration anger for Rage to her? I guess it won't be that bad. She would do for a little playtime.

I leaned at the cabinet beside me and crossed my arms. The demon's drifted to me, staring straight to my eyes.

"Don't look at her eyes, Elena!"

I smirked. "Hypnotize me if you can, you witch."

Black-eyed demons has this ability to lure women if they look straight to a woman's eyes with their eyes all black.

"What are you doing, Elena?" Rage spat when he noticed that I'm challenging the demon, staring back straight to her eyes.

After a few moments, the demon snarled angrily, frustrated that she can't use her stupid ability on me.

"What? You can't hypnotize me, can you?"

"What are you? You are obviously just an ordinary human but why can your resist it?" 

Just a fraction of second and a dagger flew towards her that gave a small cut on her right cheek.

"I may be human, but no ordinary."

She then laughed hysterically. "A werewolf and an assasin, huh? What a tandem. You know what, I can still give you a chance to live. You can leave like nothing happened—"

"You are obviously afraid that is why you are giving us an option," Rage hit it right.

"Afraid?" She laughed again like a madwoman. Her laughter is so unpleasant on my ears. Should I cut her tongue first?

"Let me handle her," Rage whispered that made me turn to him with brows creased.

"I can handle her as well. Don't underestimate me, mongrel."

"I am not underestimating you. What I'm saying is, you should preserve your energy for fights that are worth your time. I thought you don't like wasting your time on unnecessary things especially if it don't concern you?"

"Yeah, you are right. But these days, I have been suppressing my anger for you, so I think this is a good idea to let off some steam."

"Are you asking me to let you fight with her alone?"

"I'm not asking for your approval here. I'm saying that I won't just stand aside. I'm just telling you this just so you are aware."

He looked at me with intense and challenging eyes but there is no way I'm backing off. I won't allow anyone insignificant influence my decision, let alone decide for me. I am my own. I don't depend to anyone. So why would I listen to this man I will soon kill?

"Fine. We will both fight her."

I rather fight alone but I know that like me, he would not just stand aside when there is enemy in front. So that idea is better in this situation.

"What? Have you already decided whether to run or not?" the demon asked arrogantly. Is she that confident that she is skilled enough to kill both of us? For all she knows, we were having an argument as to who should fight between us because we both want to end his life.

"Guess what," I smirked at her. "We had decided to kill you together."

She should really be honored for this opportunity. Imagine, a lowly creature like her would have the chance to fight with the only first class female assasin and the Alpha of a huge pack. To die in our hands would be an achievement for her.

I smirked as Rage and I both advanced towards our waiting prey.

* * * 

"Such a loser. It was no challenging at all," I said as Rage and I walked out of the dress shop.

After we killed the demon quickly, Rage went upstairs and saw the body of a woman that was just killed. I didn't care about it but Rage was kind enough to leave a note so that anyone who would see it will have an idea as to why the woman died. 

"You should have just given her to me," I added.

"And what do you want me to do? Just stand there doing nothing while watch you fight alone with that monster?"

"Why not? That would conserve your energy and as you see, I can handle myself well. Stop underestimating my capability just because I'm a woman—"

"I told you, didn't I? I'm not underestimating you," he corrected again.

"What you were trying to do, then? You want to show off? For pride?"

He groaned like a hurt animal. "You don't get my point, Elena. You really don't get it."

"What is it that I don't understand exactly? Or maybe you just don't want to accept that aside that you were looking down on me, you wanted to show off."

Rage glared, eyes were like cold silver cutting through me.

"I said that is not my intent," he said firmly, impatience was evident on his voice.

"You know what, let's just stop this argument. We still need to go to another shop to buy you a dress."

"And why would I need a fucking dress?"

"For the celebration, of course. I want to buy my mate a beautiful dress. I don't see any problem with that."

"You really have a problem with your brain, mongrel. For the record, I'm not your mate and I don't want you to buy a dress for me. I brought some things so you need not to care about what I would wear on your grandfather's celebration. I don't need a man to buy for my needs, and I certainly won't accept anything from you aside from your head."

"My head only? Ah. You are so heartless, Elena."

"How many times have you said that? I am completely aware of that matter. And as what I have said, I don't need a heart to live. Kindness won't make me survive."

He smirked and my lips only parted when he dragged me again to another shop. Good thing, there is no demon around this time.

"I told you, Rage. I don't want you to buy me a dress—" My forehead creased at Rage who was suddenly smiling like an idiot.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Sometimes I really think that he maybe has a mental problem or what.

"It is the first time you call me by my name."

"So?" I raised a brow. I don't see any relevant thing about that. He has a name so it is just normal to call him by his name.

"Nothing," he said but still smiling creepily.

"Hello. You are here to buy a dress?" A middle aged woman went to attend to us. I looked at her and scrutinized her for a bit, double checking if she is not like the woman earlier who is actually a demon.

"No, we are not buying anything—"

"Yes, I need a dress for my mate. I want the most beautiful and most expensive."

I glared at Rage, gritting my teeth. How dare he decide for me! I didn't allow him to!

"Are you really testing my patience? I said I don't want you to buy a dress for me." I then faced the dumbfounded woman. "Don't listen to him. We are not a couple."

Rage chuckled. "Don't mind whatever she is saying. You know, just the normal little arguments between couples."

This goddamn man! 

"You moron!—"

"Love, please. I'm sorry, all right," he said and turned to the woman. "Go now and find a beautiful dress. I will make her calm down, don't worry."

"Are you really insulting me?!" I fired angrily once we were left alone. I badly wanted to hurt him, to dislocate his bones and distort his damn face!

"Who says I'm insulting you? I'm just trying to find a dress for you."

"Yes, you are. You are forcing me into a thing I don't like, and you just embarrassed me in front of other person! And then you would say that you are not insulting me?"

"Elena, calm down, please. I'm not insulting you. I will never do that. How about this, I will not pay for the dress. You can pay for it so you would not think that it is given by me."

"I don't see the need to buy a new dress. I brought some. That would do."

He groaned. "But I want to be the one to choose the dress for you."

"Would that even make a difference? Whatever I wear, it would still be the same."

"You are so hard, you know that." He sighed and averted his gaze away.

"You could make the things easier but you chose the hard way. If you would only not force me to the things I don't want, then we won't have any problem."

He looked at me with problematic eyes. He looked like he is already on his edge too and I expected him to shout at me, but that didn't happen. 

"Fine. Let's do what you want. I won't force you into anything from now on," he said with a calm and soothing voice, and I don't know why for that certain moment, my heart skipped a beat for the first time.