The Deal with the Demon Prince

*Chapter Fourteen*

*Chapter Fourteen*

Avary’s body flew back like a fly being swatted by a giant’s hand upon touching an invisible barrier around Aurora. Trees after trees fell after the other like a domino effect as his back collided with them. Birds chirped in fright, abandoning their nests residing on the various branches of the fallen trees. Within seconds, he was on his feet charging at the girl once again.

Adrian snapped out of his trance. He tackled Avary, and the two started rolling on the forest ground. Both of them tried to gain the advantage of being on top.

“I’m going to rip your head off!” Avary threatened.

In reply, Adrian punched him hard across his cheek. In Avary’s current state, Adrian was beyond confident that he would be able to take him on.

“Snap out of this! You’re -”

There was suddenly something chocking him. In that millisecond, he was kicked off Avary. The demon leapt towards the girl. Adrian wanted to get up, but it was as if there was some tremendous force around him that made his limbs seemed hundred times heavier, invisible to him but visible to her, preventing him from moving. Wisps of smoke appeared in air. They held Adrian firmly down.

The black mists, like snakes, around Aurora shot at Avary. They were suddenly around him, strangling him. He choked, just like his brother. Aurora had a menace glint in her eyes that screamed she was enjoying this. Avary struggled for a few seconds before suddenly going limp.

Adrian didn’t know what she did to him, but he knew that he wouldn’t like it. He let out a loud growl. His eyes suddenly flashed red. Using pure strength, he ripped himself away from whatever force that held him down. He quickly forced himself to calm down. Things would be calamitous otherwise.

“Why?” she whispered, turning to him. Her eyes were on him, but it was as if she was looking at something beyond him. “Why did you let them kill her?”

Adrian froze, a terror that wasn’t previous before seeped into his eyes. He was definitely not expecting this. Using that moment of surprise, Aurora held him down once again with that invisible force. She slowly started to approach him. Her right hand raised and touched his cheek lightly, cradling it. Her soft lips curled up into a smile that did not reach her eyes. Her eyes were hollow and dead.

“You saw them kill her, did you not? I can see it. You were there, but you couldn’t save her. You loved her. She was your world, yet you had to watch her die in front of her. They are cruel, Adrian.”

Adrian’s eyes grew wide, and they returned back to the deep sapphire shade of his human form. His face paled. Aurora spoke the words calmly and softly. She spoke them like facts, not guesses. She knew what she was talking about.

“Aurora.”

“You want to kill them, don’t you? Her death was agonizing, being slowly disintegrated from powers angels are long forbidden to use,” she said, her soft voice enhancing the horrific memories that Adrian had locked away in his mind. “Don’t hide anything, Adrian. I can see it. I can see everything. I can see your past, your present,” she slowly grinned, “and future.”

Instead of freaking out, Adrian held his ground. Aurora’s strange eyes held his gaze. They were empty and filled with silent melancholy. If Aurora were her normal self, his equanimity would have startled her. Aurora titled his chin so that he was looking into her eyes. Although he was a good few inches taller, Adrian felt no bigger – if not smaller – under her strange gaze.

“Guilt is a fearsome emotion,” she said quietly.

Adrian stared at the girl vacantly. This was not Aurora. There was no way someone this indifferent could be the girl he knew. Now that he knew this was not her, he was positive he could attack -