The Unknown // Colby Brock

~~ Chapter Eight ~~

"Careful where you're swinging that thing," I teased.

He looked a bit shocked as I threw it back to him with a raised brow. I felt him watching me walk away as I went up to Mike.

"I've been sent down to train," I said, glancing over at Jake.

"By Colby?" Mike questioned.

I nodded.

"Okay. I wanna see you fight Jake, so... Jake!"

The idiot walked away from Griffin, who he had been fighting, and stopped just beside us.

"I want you to fight Arianna."

"But I don't want to hurt the cat," Jake teased back with a pout.

"I'm tougher than you think," I remarked, rolling my eyes.

Mike handed me a stick so I motioned for Jake to find a space. Griffin had already become busy fighting Aryia and Reggie, so that space had become slightly vacant.

"You really think you could win in a spar against me, kitten?" Jake teased as he playfully tapped my stick with his.

I rolled my eyes again, hitting him on the top of his head. He pouted before finally we started to train. It seemed to be a fairly even match for the most part, but he was winning a couple more than me only because his demon reflexes were faster than mine. I found it annoying every single time he would grin cockily until I tripped him and he'd let out a childish whine.

Everyone was training for a while until it was getting dark, which was when Mike called out specifically for me to be done. I wasn't going to argue because I was actually fairly tired, but I gave Jake one last playful jab in the chest before I went anywhere. As I ascended the stairs, I realised there was a figure standing on the balcony watching over the training.

It was Colby, and he looked pretty intense.

For whatever reason, I chose to join him, leaning against the railing just like he was to copy his pose. He glanced at me for a moment, then spoke. "You did good down there. I could see you using the tricks I taught you."

"I'm a fast learner." I shrugged casually. Secretly, though, I was smiling at the idea of becoming a good fighter. My previous skills had consisted of punch, punch, punch until they were on the floor where it became kick, and then I would walk away. It wasn't the most healthy way to deal with anything but it didn't do me any damage until the very end of my life.

Watching everybody else fight using their flashing abilities or weapon-making abilities - which was only Xepher - I felt kind of minuscule, like I didn't matter among so many powerful demons. Black soul or not, I still had a soul and they didn't.

"Do you think they're ready for God? If he comes to visit?" I asked to distract myself. Colby seemed to be in the mood to wait for a couple of moments between every sentence.

"I think we aren't far off being strong enough to defeat them all," Colby said quietly. He nudged my shoulder with his and motioned his head back.

I followed him away from the balcony to the hallway, then to my door.

"Are you tired?" he asked gently, looking down at me.

"Very."

"Then you should sleep."

I frowned. "Okay... ?"

That was the plan anyway - before I saw him. Why was he acting weird about something so normal?

I opened my mouth to speak again but I got rudely interrupted by a pair of lips on mine. My back was pushed against my door, hands were on my hips, and my head was spinning. I kissed him back, my hands sliding up his chest and around his neck while he pinned me with his body. But it wasn't that much of a rough kiss, it was kinda sweet and slow.

"I told you," Colby whispered against my lips, kissing me again for a second. "You're making me like you."

I gasped when he pulled back some more, my eyes focused on his, which were looking me up and down. My body screamed for him, and my hands itched to grab a hold of his shirt. I almost did, but I knew it would be stupid to even try that in the hallway. The devil most certainly didn't want to be caught with some girl by one of his loyal 'subjects'.

"I don't like that Sam got into your room before," he said slowly without breaking our eye contact. "It makes me feel like you aren't safe in your room."

"So... what?" I whispered, flicking my gaze between his eyes.

He glanced down at my lips before gently kissing me again. That kiss felt like he needed me, and that created an entirely new feeling to shoot through my veins.

"I don't know yet, Ari" - for the first time ever, he'd used my nickname - "but lock your window... I like your company." With that, he turned and walked away.

I had to suck in a big gasp partly in relief, but partly as a whimper.

The devil had me whimpering at the loss of his touch, and that was something I never in my life or afterlife thought I would feel. Let alone the fact that he said he actually liked my company... maybe he even liked me.

My afterlife was taking even more of a turn towards the unexpected.