Daevas -I- ✔️

Chapter 11.2: Shadows and Whispers

"My body?"

"You went to the dark place. The fallen place." 

What are you--"

"The place filled with blue. Even the air can be toxic. It is wrought with death, after all." 

"... I had."

"Look at your hands. You see how they have yet to heal?" Ari hid them behind his back and looked away from Ra. "And the demons and the shadows... You have seen them?"

"I have."

"Then you know."

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"Where demons truly come from. How they are born," Ra pressed.

"I... "

"And what lay there in the darkness."

"You have been there? My father... he... "

"Your father? No--"

"Raoul, enough," Ari heard Sai's voice snap. 

Sai quickly took Ra by the arm and pulled him close. 

"Not another word," Sai whispered more as a growl into Ra's ear. 

Ari looked from Sai to Ra in confusion. Just what was he keeping from him? His head was beginning to pound at the very thought. It seemed everyone knew of this great secret but him and it troubled him.

"If he cannot then you tell me. Tell me now, or I will leave and find the answers myself."

Sai pursed his lips and looked to the door. HIs hair was wet and pulled to one side. On his neck, Ari saw three pairs of bite marks with two still teeming with blood. His skin took on a strange pallor which Ari knew was because of him. Like with Auovin, he had taken too much blood from Sai.

Ari took a couple steps towards the door. Before he could make it to the handle, Sai took his wrist in hand, pulling him away. 

"Now is not the time for this."

Sai quickly shooed Ra off upstairs.

"When will there be a time for it then?" Ari snapped. "I am tired of not knowing things I should know. Keeping things away from me does not make you any better than Ylanan. It makes you worse." 

Sai withdrew his hand and narrowed his eyes at him. He took a deep breath and took Ari's hand in his gently. 

"You are worked up. I am sorry. My patience has spread thin since Auovin's arrival and I should not take it out on you... As you must know, there are things you should know and things you are better off without knowing because those things are things that can taint you and blacken your soul. There were times when I thought Auovin wanted that for you, but even he, in all of his wretchedness, is shielding you away from it. However, like a moth to a flame, you find yourself wanting to know." 

"You dislike him... "

"I despise him," Sai corrected. "But that does not matter. It is you who I care for and who I worry about, and I hope you do not take my feelings lightly because they are not romantic." 

Ari felt a tightness in his chest just from hearing Sai's voice and seeing his disarming smiles. He was lulled by his warm words and calming demeanor so quickly it unsettled him. Ari only stared at him losing the intention to leave almost immediately.  

"Just as I hope you will not take mine lightly because they are," Ari said. 

"What would you like from me instead?"

"It is something you are unwilling to give me."

"Your lustful feelings will die down in a day. I am sure you tried to sate what feelings were growing with Raoul, but as you came to realize, it does not work out so well for most of us when they are human." 

"Then answer a question of mine, and I promise I will not leave until the morrow."

"Ask it."

"Where do demons come from?"

"We come from the sands--"

"The lesser ones."

"Us." Ari's eyes widened. "They come from us because we create them."

"How?" Ari was afraid to ask, but the question came out easily. 

"There is always a price... "

"... What they ask from us... "

"We grant."

"In exchange... "

"It can vary. But the old ones have always only wanted one thing and that was them. Their service, their souls, if you believe in such a thing."

"Was that what you meant by us tainting things...?"

Sai nodded. 

"When tainted humans die by our hands... That is what becomes of them as well."

Ari had a bad feeling nestling in the pits of his stomach. 

"This is a war that has been going on for centuries in which I want to play no part in. However, with the greats waking, I am not sure what to do but wait and see. You should as well." 

"I cannot. There is someone who I love dearly out there somewhere, and I cannot just sit and wait. Not all humans are bad. Just as we are not, but Auovin and Cyrus do not see it that way. And I am sure the greats will not as well." 

"You will find out everything soon enough. Who Auovin and Ylanan truly are and what terrible game they are playing. If you are wanting to know so badly, go on and go out now. There are demons out there lurking through the fog and greater demons shaking the ground, slowly rising from their confines. And there are demons wanting to use the blood that flows through your veins to do terrible, wicked things no matter the guise they choose to hide it under. You carry Harun's blood. The third piece to their broken trinity... "  

Ari looked up at Sai warily. 

"When the final piece is put in place, I wonder if it will be the picture you imagined it to be." 

___________________________________________

[A/N]

Ari is a terribly hot mess, but I can't help but love him. I hope he makes the right decisions and put those hormones away somewhere for now. He needs to think. Anyway! What are your takes on Auovin. Everyone is basically saying Ylanan and Auovin are the same, but what do you think? Leave me your thoughts down the bottom!

As always, thank you for reading, commenting, and voting on this story! I swear this week I will start posting weekly again! ❤️