23.
Awkward is an Understatement
That didn’t take long, Reyna though as she looked at Mundus and Ayame. She couldn’t deny the twinge of jealousy that nipped at her even though she had just turned him down. Turned something big down.
She looked at her pocket and with her fingers brushed the flower petal tips that were peeking out from the hem. Reyna turned to Dante standing by her side and felt a degree of relief with his presence. It increased when she saw Verden tear Mundus away from Ayame.
She wondered if Dante and Verden had been out there long. It didn’t look like it which answered Reyna’s suspicion that the Aqua Oscura fountain area ran on the same time as Demon World’s. Not that Dante and Verden would have been able to enter the fountain looking for her even if they knew where to search. According to what Mundus said, only those who had their blood spilled on the area could enter if they had permission from the Dark Blood that invited them. She guessed that’s also how Lina was there, assuming the rules applied to Spirits.
Do Spirits even bleed? Reyna swore she had seen Flow bleed. Maybe.
The poke on her arm pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked at Dante, rubbing her shoulder. “What’d you do that for?” she asked.
“Verden told us to go,” he said and without waiting for her took off walking.
She eyed the half demon. His face was a familiar mask of indifference; the same one he had worn around them for their first week’s stay at his house. Reyna bit her tongue as she now realized it was aimed at his brother.
Mundus, on the other hand, wore his current emotions on his sleeve. There was anger—as always—but also a sense of confusion and yearning. The kind of yearning that drew that jealously out of her.
Stop it, she scolded herself.
The two demons were observing each other, fierce red eyes glowering into cold grey ones. Seeing the two so close to each other, Reyna could see Verden was a few inches taller than Mundus. He was slimmer too but not by much. She could also see their similarities in their almost identical hair and clenched jaws.
Lina and Ayame stood away from them. Reyna didn’t know which one appeared more puzzled. They both looked beautiful though. If Ayame had looked like that in life too, she was rightfully called “Beauty” when they would say “death by Beauty.” Lina, though not as radiant, did hold the more vicious curves, and her long locks only seemed to enhance them. Mundus always was, and had been, surrounded by beautiful women.
Reyna hugged herself and shook her head, willing her thoughts to stop.
“I said go, Reyna,” Verden’s voice was soft.
She glanced at him to see he hadn’t taken his sight off of Mundus, but he had. He caught her eyes and they wavered, but Reyna didn’t see with what because they darted back to Verden.
She turned and walked away and found herself running when she came in sight of the house. Verden must’ve expanded the seal if he meant to send them away while he and Mundus stayed where they were. When she came up to the front porch, she found Dante standing with his back towards her.
Reyna panted though she wasn’t out of breath from running. “Dante?” she exhaled.
He looked at her from behind his shoulder but didn’t turn around to face her.
“Dante?”
“What happened?” he asked.
Her hand shot to her pocket as if the flower would leap out of her jeans. “Mundus apparently came.”
He whirled around. “Obviously.”
Reyna saw it. There was jealousy in him too. And anger. “Nothing happened,” she said though she wasn’t sure why she wanted him to understand that.
“Of course not,” he said taking a step towards her. He angled his head down into her face and Reyna could feel his resentment.
“That’s why you went from calling him a selfish asshole to defending him all in a few hours.” His calm voice unnerved her.
“No. I—” She shook her head. “I still think he’s selfish. He’s still part of the reason our home is gone. He just did something that made me realize he wasn’t all that bad, but I don’t think he’s any less jerky!”
Something tugged at Dante’s lips, and Reyna thought he was going to laugh at her juvenile word. Instead he frowned. “He just did something that made you realize he ‘wasn’t all that bad’ and all of a sudden you’re acting like it’s okay.”
“I never said it was okay!”
He backed away from her, shaking his head. “I just thought you finally…never mind.”
Reyna was staring at his back again. She traced the outline of his giant sword, marveling at how secure it was despite the fact it looked like it was hovering. Marveling? She knew she was trying to distract herself from her thoughts; she had caught what Dante wanted to say.
She sighed. “I don’t know about that. I don’t know about a lot of things right now.”
He didn’t answer.
“I can tell you what happened,” Reyna offered. His silence was straining her. “I didn’t mean to meet with him.”
He gave a sarcastic laugh.
“It’s true,” she said and crossed her arms. “He pulled me through this weird portal. It apparently was the secret area of some Aqua Oscura fountain that gives people the Dark Bloods power. He wanted to find it and only his mom knew where it was which was why he sided with her in the first place. So he could find it.”
Reyna paused, catching her breath. Dante took that opportunity to walk to the end of the porch and lean on one of the wooden poles.
She followed him with slow steps and stood next to him. “Dante?”
“Go on,” he said, staring ahead.
Reyna looked down at the grass. “Okay,” she whispered. “He…he told me he wanted to find the fountain ‘cause he wanted to give me the Dark Bloods power. He wanted me to lose my short, mortal life and gain a longer, demonic one. He, um, he wanted me to be able to live by his side. With him and as long as him. He gave me a flower and it’s supposed to give me the powers. I’m supposed to eat it. But I told him no. To everything. I didn’t want to do it. I don’t want to do it.”
She was mumbling by the time she finished, and Dante’s silence reigned over her again. Reyna stared at the peeking petals from the blossom as she waited for his response. If he was ever going to respond.
“Why’d you keep his flower?”
Reyna looked up to him to see him eyeing the purple from her pocket. “I promised him I’d at least keep it.” Her voice faltered with each word she said.
He sighed. “Of course you did.”
She wasn’t sure what she was seeing on his face, but she didn’t see it for long. He was walking towards the front door.
“Wait.” She was the one pleading for him to stay now.
He didn’t stop. “You never waited.”
Reyna should have let it go, but her own anger and hurt propelled the words out of her mouth. “You don’t understand how it was for me! How I felt! I did it for yo—”
The sound of Dante slamming the front door cut her off. She stood staring at the simple piece of wood. The more she stared, the blurrier it became. Her chest felt too tight and her throat was sore. A sob escaped her, startling her. A sad smile crossed her trembling lips; she had forgotten how it felt to cry.
“Reyna?”
She turned to see Ayame walking to her, followed by Lina.
“What’s wrong?” the Spirit asked.
Reyna wiped her tears and came up to them. “Don’t worry, Ayame. I’m okay now.”
Lina hovered closer to her. “Is Human Girl crying over Master?”
“Uh.”
Lina let out a shriek as Ayame tugged her away from Reyna by pulling her long hair. “Leave her alone, Lina,” she said.
“This one said to stop touching this one’s hair!”
Ayame smiled. “But it’s so pretty and it’s longer than me.”
Lina’s face was a childish pout as she hugged her hair. “It is this one’s hair! Not Master’s lover’s hair!”
She frowned. “Why do you keep calling me that?”
“Because Master’s lover is Master’s lover!”
“I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. The only demon I’ve befriended is Verden.”
Lina shook her head hard enough for her entire locks to vibrate. “No! This one knows Master’s lover and Master were together!”
“Stop!” Reyna demanded. The two Spirits gaped at her.
“Reyna?” Ayame questioned.
She shook her head. There was something about Lina calling Ayame “Master’s lover” while she had called her “Master’s human” that was annoying and infuriating her.
“What happened with Verden and Mundus?” Reyna asked.
Lina frowned and balled her hands into fists. “Look–alike Master kept scolding Master and”—she looked like she wanted to cry—“Master just stood there. Master didn’t say anything. Master looked angry but…sad.”
Sad? Reyna wondered what he was sad about. Was it because of her or because of Ayame?
Her head snapped to the right as she felt Mundus and Verden walking towards them. She had to get her emotions in check. They distracted her from her sensing abilities, leaving her too vulnerable for her liking.
Verden and Mundus walked side by side, almost mirror reflections of one another. Their faces were the same: calm but suspicious. They came up to Reyna and the Spirits. Mundus’ eyes darted between Ayame and Reyna. She saw what looked like worry flash through his face.
“Come inside with us,” Verden said and led the way to the front door.
Reyna followed him, grateful he had said “us” to show she was under his protection.
When they entered the house and made way to the living room, they saw Dante standing before a half circle of House Verden residents. He was probably explaining to them the chance of visitors because Anna was the only one that had a smile on her face, and it brightened when she saw Verden enter with new people. Jean and Diorela each grabbed one of Anna’s arms and pulled her back when she tried to run up to them.
Reyna could see the hesitation and fear in all of their faces. Even though they were looking at a person that looked like their friend Verden, they still sensed the destruction from him. It made her sad for some reason.
Ayame came up to Anna and the others. They relaxed at her familiar face. She spoke to them, changing between French, Spanish, and Demonic, and led them out of the room and to the dining area. Dante was the only one left behind.
“Mundus told me about the Aqua Oscura,” Verden said when the humans had left. “And Mundus’ reason for being here.”
Reyna crossed her arms as if that would chase her blush away. She saw Dante roll his eyes.
“I only brought you in here because the seal is stronger, and it is easier to hide you should others be looking for you. I feel there is no need for you to remain here though.” Verden’s tone was as icy as his eyes.
“This one thinks Look–alike Master is scary,” Lina whimpered and hid behind Mundus.
The demon prince sighed. “Return, Lina.”
“Yes, Master,” she said and disappeared in her usual white light back into his blade.
Mundus crossed his arms and lifted his eyebrow at Verden as if nudging him to continue. He didn’t. It was Dante that spoke.
“What are you doing here, Mundus?” he said.
His one question seemed to ask so many things. Why, after all this time, did you decide to come back? Why did you return to Reyna after such shameless deceptions? Why present her with such a life changing proposition? Why are you still here after she turned it down?
Reyna held her breath. Maybe it was just her asking all those questions.
Mundus growled at Dante. “I harbor no desire to answer you, mortal boy.”
Verden took a step towards his brother. “You won’t disrespect Dante here or anywhere near me.”
Dante grinned. “It’s not like I need help to smash his face in.”
Grey eyes now glared at Dante. “You will not fight under my roof. That goes for all of you,” Verden said and caught Reyna’s eye with his last word.
“What? Are you saying I want to fight someone?” she asked, pointing at herself.
“You are known for punching people.”
The small grins on Mundus and Dante’s face would’ve been missed if Reyna had blinked. Well at least they agree about that.
“I honestly don’t care why you are here, Mundus,” Verden said. He took slow steps towards him as he spoke, “I just want to warn you not to come back here. I don’t want your war to touch the people I’m trying to protect. I don’t want your bloodshed. I don’t want your destruction. Even if you try to search for us, don’t think you’ll find us here even if you do.”
Mundus stood his ground as Verden looked down at him. The grey in his eyes drained away and a crimson hue overtook them. Reyna’s eyebrows went up as she felt the flow of Verden’s See Magika seeping from him. He was going to alter Mundus’ memory. Was he even strong enough to do that? It didn’t matter; she had to stop him.
“No!” Reyna grabbed Verden’s arm and tugged him away from Mundus.
He gazed at her, his red eyes making it hard to see the confusion on his face. “What are you doing, Reyna?”
“You can’t! I mean he’s not really on Blethinette’s side anyways, and it’s not like he has anywhere to go.” She was talking so fast she had to stop to breathe.
Verden’s eyes returned to their natural color and the sadness, almost pity, in his face sliced into her. Reyna forced herself to keep staring at his face. She couldn’t turn to see Mundus, much less Dante.
“You guys are brothers, aren’t you?” she whispered.
Verden’s face made her realize he hadn’t told Mundus that yet. She glanced over at him, but his expression was his usual scowl. Maybe she had missed his surprise.
“Only tonight,” Verden growled. “He leaves tomorrow.”
“Makeovah!”
Everyone turned to the small, squeaky voice to see Anna running up to Mundus.
“Anna!” Verden called to her.
“Makeovah?” she repeated, clinging to the moon demon’s pant leg.
Mundus leaned down at her. “No,” he growled.
A cry escaped from Anna’s lips as she switched from holding Mundus’ leg to holding Reyna’s.
“Leave her alone,” Verden scolded Mundus and hit him upside the head.
He stood and gave Verden a face Reyna had never seen before while Dante was chuckling in the background. Mundus glared at the human, but it only increased his laughter.
“Anna. You need to stop running away from us!” Ayame said as she came into view.
She pulled the little girl’s hands off of Reyna and kneeled down at her. “There are some places where you can’t be, okay?”
Reyna kept her sight on Ayame and Anna. She didn’t need to see Mundus to know there was probably a longing present in his eyes.
“You can do a makeover on me,” Ayame said as she pulled her back towards the dining room.
Anna pouted. “Rydych yn dejaish hermosa.”
“Ella verdamentemos,” Mundus mumbled.
Verden’s eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t say things like that in front of Reyna.”
She bit her lip. She hadn’t understood what had been said, but she had known that Anna wasn’t speaking to Mundus. She had told something to Ayame, and Reyna didn’t need to know Demonic to understand what had been said. Anna didn’t like giving makeovers to Ayame because the little girl thought she was beautiful enough.
Dante’s sigh brought her back from her thoughts. Reyna stepped away from the two brothers.
“You may stay only tonight,” Verden said to Mundus, recapping what he spoke earlier. “You have to stay inside though. Since Reyna suggested your stay, I am sure she wouldn’t mind giving up her room to you.”
“What?” she exclaimed.
“Though I’m sure you don’t mean to sleep in it at the same time as him, right, Reyna?”
She glanced at Dante. “No. No, I can just sleep in—”
“The couch,” Dante finished for her. “You can sleep there.”
Reyna gawked at him. He didn’t look at her, or anyone else in the room, and walked out to join the rest in the dining area.
“He’s your guest, Reyna,” Verden said as he followed Dante. “At the very least I have to explain to everyone why there is another demon in our house that looks like me.”
She watched the two of them leave. Each step they took increased her anxiety. She almost felt abandoned.
“Shall you accompany to my quarters?” Mundus said when they had left.
Reyna turned to him.
He grinned at her as if Verden and Dante’s absence gave him back his usual smugness.
“I,” she said and paused. It’d probably be less awkward than going into a room with the demon she had a history with and seeing all the eyes that knew that history land on her. “I guess I can.”
As Mundus followed her up the stairs, Reyna couldn’t help but wonder how strange he had been. He had been so passive while they had been in the living room. Passive in his standards at least.
Reyna arrived to her room, opened the door, and turned on the lights. Littered around the floor were jeans. She reddened at Mundus’ chuckles.
“I do not recall such a habit instilled in you,” he said as he entered and poked one of her shorts with his foot.
“Things are a little more hectic now, okay?” she said and shoved him out of the way as she kicked all the jeans under her bed. “There.”
“I doubt the bottom of your bed is an adequate place for clothes,” he said.
She crossed her arms. “Whatever. It’s not like they’re hurting you by being there.”
He walked around, surveying her room.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Another grin was shot at her. “Rather dull in comparison to your former living quarters.”
“My old room? You mean the one you blew up during your battle with Ram?”
“It was unintentional.”
She blew a stray hair from her face. “Sure it wasn’t.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her. “Your hair is quit short.”
“How observant.”
Mundus walked up to her and ran his fingers through it. “Perhaps you should allow it to grow once more?”
Reyna stepped away from him. “Maybe.”
His eye darted to her hips. “It is pleasant to note my gift is still within your possession.”
Her hands darted to her pocket where the flower was. How many times have I touched this flower?
“Yeah,” she said. “I promised you.”
Her words seem to draw a genuine smile from him, and just like that Reyna knew it was going to be difficult for her to get through that coming night.
*******************
Author's Note: This is unedited 'cause of reasons that involve me still feeling sick and just wanting to update 'cause I was taking too long. This chapter was gonna be longer. Way longer but like I said...this needed an update. Next chapter is probably going to have a split POV.
So here ya go. Hope you enjoyed it. I feel like there needs to be some fun and drama in the midst of so much war and tension.
Dedicated to lil_missdarkness for her support and love for Mundus. Thanks! XD
IMPORTANT P.S. In case you dont know by now, Inner Demon is a Watty Finalist! ^.^ Thank you guys for your support that put it there!
Thank you, guys! :D