„I want strawberries, Dante", I told my demonic servant and took another nip of the hot coffee. Dante appeared next to my chair out of nowhere, one of his hands resting on my neck, almost caressing the necklace he had slept in.
„Is it really necessary to call a demon to get yourself some strawberries?", he asked and sighed. I didn't pay attention to his question and continued writing down random words on the piece of paper before me. It was a habit I developed since having Dante by my side.
„You really haven't change the littlest bit since that day, have you?", he asked, shoved his frameless glasses back got up to get me strawberries out of the fridge.
„Don't forget to cut them. And make them sweet", I told him. When I looked up, a bowl of strawberries stood before me and Dante sat on a chair in front of me, his head resting on his hands he smirked at me. His fair, silver hair covered half of his face so I could only see his left amber eye. I began eating the strawberries Dante had prepared for me, but his gaze gave me creeps.
„What are you staring at, stupid?", I asked him. This idiot of a demon was such an annoyance I almost couldn't believe it. Others would call him „hot" or „attractive", maybe, but to me he was nothing but my demon servant that I had made a contract with two years ago in order to get my revenge and then sell my soul to him.
„Nothing, my master", he said. His face turned serious, then. „I'm afraid we have work, Yuki." I didn't react, waiting for him to continue and explain the mission I had been given.
„There was a demon sighted near London Bridge. It has killed three people and some wild animals so far; as it seems, it's without a master, so it shouldn't be a problem for you, even without me."
„You're planning on letting me kill the demon without coming along?", I asked. He shook his head, grinning again.
„No, master, how could I leave you alone? I'm coming with you, of course", he answered and stood up. I sighed. When did I start working as a demon hunter while keeping one myself? I had killed a few because they came after me and suddenly, people had begun hiring me to do it. Well, I could gain a little bit of money doing it, so I didn't really care as long as I could pay for the small, dilapidated apartment that lay in the middle of an abandoned place so I didn't even have to worry about any neighbours.
I got up and went upstairs to get changed. There was a room I more or less shared with Dante, since he almost lived inside my necklace – or rather collar. It was actually a black band around my neck with a deep red stone secured with steel. I got rid of trousers and shirt to slip into a short, black skirt and a black tank top. Then I put on overknee socks and gun belts around ly right leg and waist. My long, black hair were tied to a ponytail so that it wouldn't bother me killing the demon. My eyes went over the countless weapons inside my room; swords, knives, kunais, guns, everything I had been able to gather the last two years in order to survive in this world full of demons I had known nothing of when I had been alive... I mean, truly alive. After I had made the contract, demons had started to hunt me for some reason. Since I bore a grudge against almost everything I was almost grateful for this opportunity to take out my anger on the filth I had been afraid of. Before I had learned to fight, Dante had always protected me; I had hated it. Being in debt, owing, being helpless. Of course, I didn't owe Dante anything since he was my servant and he would eventually get my soul, but I had felt that way for a rather long time.
„Are you ready, my master?", he asked, suddenly standing at the door. I slipped into my boots and a comfortable jacket I got at the black market and took two guns, several knives and the small stick that was a really precious weapon to me. It looked like a pen or something like that, but it was formidable.
„Just in case it should be mightier than you said. Yes, I'm ready. Let's go, Dante."
The asphalt was wet from the pouring rain that now also got through my clothes and made me shiver. I loved rain, but I hated being wet. Dante's and my steps echoed through the streets and left a creepy impression, just like a scene from a horror film where the protagonists were being chased without them noticing. The only difference was that I would definitely notice being followed, and if not me, then Dante and he would show no mercy to everyone who dared or tried to lay a hand on me. It was his duty, after all.
„It should be here somewhere", he said when we reached a small parking lot behind an old, ugly snack bar. Who would even eat here? No wonder that not a single car stood here and this was the show place of three murders through some filthy demon.
A tall but thin person stepped out of the woods next to the parking lot, not much more than a shadow was visible from between the trees. So he still played hide and seek with me. A smile crossed my face as I reached out for the guns, but suddenly I noticed a movement deeper inside the woods. At closer look, I saw four... no, six... wait, eight more eyes glowing in the twilight created by the trees. Demons. So in total, five at once.
„Didn't you say one demon killed three people?", I asked Dante who looked as confused as I felt. He nodded.
„That's what the client said. I guess we'll get extra money for this, then", he answered and smirked once again. I let out a faint hiss.
„I do hope so", I said and loaded my guns. The first demon was the closest one. But something seemed off. They didn't move a muscle, as if they were waiting for something. Waiting for what?
„Orders", Dante whispered the second I realized it, too. There had to be someone who controlled the demons, who used the mindless creatures they were to his own pleasure. Who was the person... or rather, where?
„Shall we destroy his marionettes, then? Maybe he'll show if we do", I asked Dante. After a minute of thinking, he nodded and got hold of one of his guns himself.
That was when the demon marionettes attacked. All at once, at a higher speed as usual demons would and reckless. One of them tried to jump onto me, but Dante went between the demon and me and shot twice. It was dead immediately.
„They ware no usual demons. Too weak, and too stupid. What are they?", I asked, killing the next two creatures with two shots each.
„Dead humans. So it's really only one demon behind this controlling dead human bodies", Dante explained. That made sense. I killed the only two demons left and looked around. Nothing. The person had to see us or he would not be able to control the bodies this precisely, that was clear. It was too easy.
„The woods?", Dante asked, but I shook my head. I had had the same idea right now, but it could not be so easy. I pointed out to the snack bar. That was the only possible solution.
„In there", I said and changed my weapons. Instead of my guns, I would use my knives. Then I entered the snack bar, Dante following close behind me. I could feel Dante's reassuring breath on my shoulder. As long as I had my servant I was safe. The anxiety I always felt when entering buildings swept over me like a wave in the ocean and for a moment I thought I would really panick in here. But Dante lay a hand on my back, softly pushing me forward. I nooded in response. This was seriously not the time for anxiety.
The scent of potatoe chips and fat was heavy in the air. I couldn't see anybody behind the cash register, the only person in the whole room was a guest sitting at the window, slowly eating his sausage with curry sauce. No one but him was there... and no one who could have made the sausages. He had to be the one. Politely smiling, I approached the man. He looked like around twenty-five or so, blonde, normal blue eyes. The average citizen from the outside, a devil from the inside.
„Can I help you with something, my dear?", he asked me when I stood next to him. I was still smiling as I took the first three knives and held them onto his face, not even a millimetre away from his skin.
„Yes, you can. Why do you control human bodies?", I asked. The man smiled at me, but his blue eyes stayed cold as they were. Blue eyes. But they weren't the same.
„Why did you make a contract with a demon?", he asked me. I shook my head and pierced his skin with the tips of my knives.
„I'm asking the questions. What did you plan to do with them?" This man seemed rather distant, but not one bit afraid. Was he so arrogant? Or seriously strong?
„Since when do demon hunters ask demons for questions?", the man asked back. What an annoyance. I began to lose my patience. Dante stepped in.
„Since when do demon hunters make contracts with demons?", he asked the demon, smirking evily. The man only laughed, making the knives cut deeper into the flesh of his face. It didn't even bother him. Didn't it hurt? I blinked in confusion as the demon man began blurring in front of me. So he was strong enough to change appearances. This could get a little complicated.
His true form was almost completely different. He was still blonde, but his hair was as long as Dante's, his nails had transformed to long, deep black claws and his teeth were fangs with the lenth of my ring finger. He laughed. He laughed at me!
„How dare you-"
„How dare you make fun of my master, you filthy demon!", Dante shouted. I grasped his arm and dragged him along with me to lure the demon outside the building. More space, more possibilities to fight such a beast. The fact that Dante was angrier than me was nothing new. He was always like that when I got insulted or even injured. My servant was now angry enough to chop that beast into pieces, leaving me nothing to have fun with.
„Don't be so rough, Dante", I told him. He understood and stepped behind me. If something should go wrong, he was there to save me anytime. The demon stood a bit more than three metres away, staring at me with hungry, burning eyes. His smile was as creepy as the rest of him.
„Your soul... it has suffered so much! I want it!", he said and came a bit closer. I could feel Dante trembling with anger about the demon wanting my soul, but I was calm. As calm as I needed to be to kill this demon. The first knive hit the demon's stomach, making it scream in pain. The enemy's pain was my pleasure. Nothing sounded nicer than a demon begging me to spare its life. It wasn't enough yet. The demon came still closer, holding its belly. Thick, black blood ran through its fingers.
„Beautiful", I murmured, throwing the next two knives. Arm and leg. Cries of pain and wrath rang out of the mouth of him. The counterattack came suddenly, he jumped onto me, throwing me on the ground. Stones stang in my back and took my breath away for a moment, but before Dante could react, I shook off the thing that tried to leap its fangs into my throat and got back on my feet. I threw my last two knives at his head, but he dodged. He simply dodged my attack. Now, I was angry. I hated missing my target. The last weapon I had left was it. I switched glances with Dante and reached out for the stick on my gun belt when the demon buried its teeth deep in my arm. Pain ran through my whole body and I screamed, trying to get rid of it. I could see Dante loading his guns and shooting, but all he could do was hit the legs because otherwise he would have hit me, too. But the legs were good enough. The demon let out a cry and let go of me. Quickly, I got hold of the stick and swung the scythe I now held in my hands and cut the demon neatly in two halves. We won.
„Finally", I said and sank on my knees, pressing my left hand against the wound in my right arm. The scythe transformed back into a harmless stick and the demon vanished, leaving no trace of the battle I had just won. Dante came closer, looking down at me and my wound.
„You reckless fool. We have to treat this immediately", he said and helped me get up.
„You as my servant are not allowed to talk to me like that. I am your master and you have to show some respect", I scolded him weakly. He shook his haid in disbelief.
„Seriously, my master, you're too reckless", he said and began treating my wound with bandages he probably had got from the snack bar.
„I know and I won't change it, Dante."