*Erica's pov*
I have been staring at the pic, lost in track of time as my mind wondered into thousand places failing to stay put in a one place just like my heart that has been beating irregularly with his words echoing on my mind. 'Erica will be my queen!'
A tired sigh escaped from my mouth marveling over the huge painting hang on middle wall of this huge library, putting the sight of wonderful books aligned neatly on racks all over the walls in shame. I stared at the flames erupting from inside his chest as the demon in the pic stared at the bloodied heart on his grip. No matter how many times I have been hear, I always get lost in the smallest details of that giant painting.
"Devil's heart!" I heard very familiar yet a irritating voice calling from behind. Normally I would have shrieked getting startle at the sudden voice, but I guess my mind is too tired with the events that took place to even react properly. I slightly turned my head to notice none other than Yoongi standing behind me with a bored look staring at the painting ahead of us.
"It was one of mortal's work and he named it after devil's heart. Jungkook bought it cause it reminds him of how he acts like he is holding his heart on his hand instead of the chest where it's supposed to be. Heartless!" He said in a tone laced with nothing but bitterness.
"Staring at his own heart, wishing there would be a place within him to keep it! That's what this painting spoke to me about him." I uttered feeling odd as to why I thought it is what the devil wants others to think seeing this painting. There was nothing after my words but silent which bothered me. I turned to see whether the man has left without a word being the grumpy individual he is. To my surprise he was staring right at me with a look I can't figure out and when our gaze met he blinked like trying to chase away whatever that crossed his mind.
A sound of something being placed on the near by round long table which was placed in the middle of the room under a majestic chandelier, caught my attention. I looked at his direction to notice that he was placing a plate full of food on the table with a glass of juice. I didn't notice he was carrying them before.
"You didn't come for the dinner!" He stated while pushing the plate towards my direction and I was surprised to notice that he was doing it carefully not to spill anything and ruin my meal.
"Dinner?" I questioned slightly confused. As much as I am aware they don't differ day and night here.
"It's always night for me considering this place has been dead for so long without a light!" I commented with a click of his tongue. "Others were worried. Eat!" I was surprised to see that he even bothered in the first place to find me and bring my meal here so I won't starve. Surly someone must have made him do it, but he is so blunt and straightforward to refuse anything regarded to me unless it gives him some kind of amusement to see me struggle.
"I am not hungry! After everything happened, food is the least concern in my list." I replied without bothering to study his reaction and instead busy my mind with starring at the painting.
"He didn't mean it!" Suddenly he blurt out catching my attention as I turned once again to give him a look. "Don't think he is falling head over heels for you like in those stupid mortal fictional stories and wishing to make his queen. It's far from that." Okay, whatever I though, love was nowhere near my list. I am not stupid to expect something far more pure like that from the devil. "It was actually the heat of the moment. He likes getting a rile out of heaven and he goes beyond their imaginations to mess with them."
"So you mean he didn't mean what he said?" I questioned narrowing my eyes at him causing the man to shrug unhelpfully.
"Don't expect him to apologize and take back his words though. He never regrets what he did."
"What makes you think he doesn't regret?" This time the man showed some expression on his always blank face as he looked at me like I said the most stupid thing he ever heard in his life.
"He is someone that stand against the one who created him. He is the devil and devil does not regret his sins." He commented carefully choosing his words. Something stirred inside me at his words. Something unpleasant as I felt dishearten with those words and a strange feeling bubbled up inside me, making me smile sadly like I was in some trance.
"No one is a saint Yoongi! We all have our own mistakes and there are some mistakes in our life that we are too late to regret." His mouth opened and closed like a fish at my words not knowing how to process my words. "If we acknowledge those mistakes, we only gonna loath ourselves wishing we could turn back the time and undo it. And we know seeking forgiveness for that mistake wouldn't lessen anything but make us more pitiful." I continued ignoring the surprise look on his face. "He committed the grates sin and he knows that he is too late to regret it. So instead of regretting and suffering with the guilt for the rest of eternity, maybe he decided to stay the bad guy." I turned around once again to stare at the painting with a daze look. "After all feeling empty is better than loathing yourself with regret and guilt!"
I didn't much as had a chance to take even a breath after those words as I was slammed harshly against a book rack, knocking some book down from the impact. My breath caught on my lungs when I felt something wrapping around my neck hard enough to suffocate my throat. My eyes brimmed with tears and I was met with a pair of glowing ruby with extend canines glaring hardly at me. Lucifer!
"Who are you to pity me, you FILTHY HUMAN?" He roared hissing at me with no mercy. My legs were wobbly, but I didn't had the luxury of slipping down on the floor as his hard grip kept me pinned against the book shelf. My lungs were protesting, screaming for air, but my mind was frozen fearing for my life.
"Not just look-wise, the attitude and the way of thinking is the same. Now I know why everyone is drowned towards her." I heard Yoongi's calm voice commenting from somewhere in the room. And this cause the devil to loosen his grip and blink back his angry haze. The devil let go of his grip letting me finally fall down clutching the floor and heaving for the air. This scene oddly reminded me of what happened to that visitor from heaven. "But you have to remember your highness!" Yoongi's bitter voice echoed in the old library. "She is not her. She will never be her!" With those words I heard the man walking away leaving me with the silent devil. I didn't dare to lift my head or even breath loudly fearing his reaction. It felt like I am walking on a very breakable egg shell.
Silence!
I kept my gaze lingered on the wooden floor analyzing the pattern while staying full alert. Not like I could fight against him though. But this is how our instincts works, even after knowing fully well it's useless, we still try, depressed and greedy to live a one more minute.
"Who are you?" I froze. Even my breath hitched as I heard his voice laced with curiosity for the first time, instead of disgust and anger. And for the first time I dared to keep my mouth shut as my desire not knowing how to answer his question. I got used to answering almost instantly not wanting to trigger him up, but for this question, I am lost. What kind of a answer he expect from me?
I let the silence wonder around us being patient to remain in the same spot, avoiding any sort of interact with the devil until he decides he had enough and leave. I squeaked when I felt his cold fingers wrapping around my forearm and pulling me into feet without much of an effort. It took me few seconds to balance my wobbly legs and until I do so his firm grip remained on my hand keeping me from falling. His shadow was draped over my small frame while I stayed stiff waiting for his next moment and a quite sigh of relief escaped from my parted lips when the man stepped away from my personal space, allowing me to breath finally.
My nostrils flared when I caught his musk scent sending tingles down my spin. Normally men reeks for me and I hate how they smell, but for the first time his manly smell made my veins sing in delight. It felt like some kind of a drug, addicting all my senses as my blood cell buzz like bees. I clenched my teeth to prevent myself from moaning like a pervert at his scent and mentally slapped myself reminding that he is the king of seduction. Of course his scent would be pleasant to lure his prey into the trap.
"Sit and eat!" He commanded and my mouth dropped when he pulled the chair in front of the plate for me. Within a blink of an eye the man was sitting right across the seat and motioned me towards the food reminding his order. I sat down warily while he inspect my every move like a hawk. I really can't get this man. One minute he was strangling me and the next second asking me to eat and even going as far as to pull the chair for me like a gentleman. Though I know he is anything but a gentleman.
He narrowed his eyes when he noticed I was just staring into the space and getting the signal, I pulled the plate towards me to notice the plate is full with pasta with a spoon resting on the side of the plate. With slightly shaky hands I forced myself to scoop some food into the spoon and shove it into my mouth. He silently eyed me like a creep while I chewed with much effort being careful to make the minimum noise as I can. God this feels like a torture.
"You are wearing Taehyung's cloth." He suddenly pointed out eyeing the yellow hoodie I am wearing with a pic of bugs bunny printed on the middle. And underneath I was wearing Hui-mang's white pajama bottom printed with colorful unicorns. I know how ridiculous I look, but hey you can't blame me when they feel comfortable. Hui-mang did offer me he dresses to wear, but they are too clingy on my figure and too classy for my liking. I simply nodded my head and swallow the lump on my throat and force down an other spoon into my mouth.
"I call Hui-mang! She will be here soon. When you are done you guys can go visit your apartment or simply go shopping for new cloths." He announced in a nonchalant voice making me drop my spoon in surprise. I was still starring at my food plate and blinking like an idiot to trying to process what he just said. Is he allowing me to go back my home? "But remember my warning little girl. There is no place on earth that you can escape from me. So I advice you to save the energy of escaping!" Never-mind! He is still the devil. Stupid of me to think he is letting me go.
"Who missed me?" The double ancient wooden doors to the library slammed open making me jump on my seat and Hui-mang's cheerful voice hollered in the air. I heard the man sitting in front of me groaning in annoyance and sending death glares at his sister's dramatic entrance. She paused seeing my widen eyes and her brother's narrows gaze both set on her. "Are you guys having some kind of a meal date?" I chocked on my saliva when her brother growled making her seal that pretty smile with a apologetic look.
She came closer with cautious steps and bowed to her brother all playfulness long gone as she sensed her words didn't set right with her brother. I gave her a worried glance, receiving a faint in smile in return in attempt to reassure me. I know what she meant was just a joke, but why would she makes those kind of comments knowing her brother's reaction? Or was she used to joke around and her brother's reaction changed?
"Take her to the earth with you! And buy her the necessary stuff. She will be staying here for a while!" He ordered and stood up earning a nod from the girl. I quickly avert my gaze when he gave me a look before walking away leaving us in silence!
"YAYAYAY......!" Suddenly Hui-mang squealed and came to my side hugging the daylight out of me. "Finally we are having girl's day out!" She exclaimed beaming from ear to ear and clapping like a whale. The happiness was radiating from her as she eyed me down. "I have been dying to do it like how mortals do. Thanks to you I got the chance." My heart melted seeing her innocent smile and such a small wish like that. Can't believe this girl is devil's sister.
"Come on hurry up and eat so we can leave!" With saying that she yanked the plate from me and start shoving the food down my throat like the house was in fire and the escaped key is hidden under the food.
**************
We was hollering in laughter standing in the middle of the bridge that stretched as far as your eyes could take in front of the huge towering castle. I threw my head back letting out a belly laugh and getting a glimpse of dark clouds swirling above us. Behind me and Hui-mang, Tae stood with a kicked out puppy look, holding all our shopping bags.
"Hey it's not my fault that mortal kids are literally spawn of Satan!" He defended doubling our laughter. Hui-mang grabbed the stone fence of the bridge for support, bending down and laughing into the darkness beneath. There was nothing down but a deep ravine emitting a slight orange glow.
The day was filled with laughter and when we arrived the mortal world through a portal it was noon there. Like I hoped they didn't took me into my hometown or anything. Instead they took me into a total different country that is well famous for shopping. Dubai! And damn, wasn't things were so expensive. I still have no idea where they got money from and was a bit annoyed seeing Taehyung tagging behind us like a guard dog, hissing at every hot men who so much as spare a glance at us. We dinned in the most expensive hotels for dinner and lunch and visited several malls. Even had time to enjoy a movie!
It was all fun until I suddenly craved ice cream seeing a group of toddlers eating a blue color ice cream in the park gathered in a circle. Instantly I voiced out my desire and Tae being the whipped dork he is asked what we want. Hui-mang said she want a chocolate one while I pointed at a kid who was sitting along in the swing away from other kids, eating the same ice cream like them and said I want that. He straight away marched to that kid and rudely asked what she was eating. The little girl started at him with big doe eyes, startled at his sudden presence.
Getting impatient silence he snatched the cone from that kid and licked it to find out the flavor. That crossed the line as instantly the girls started wailing loudly catching others attention. Soon the kids all gathered around him and started throwing their tiny hands at them for bullying their friend. When they noticed the man wasn't budging and simply staring at them, they started biting his legs making Tae yelp in pain. It took us good few minutes to control our laughter and save the man from his misery. And up to now we kept teasing him about the horrified look he had on his face.
"Whatever!" I heard Tae grumpily mumbling and pushed past us walking towards the castle leaving us in the middle of bridge still laughing at all his reaction through out the entire day. Tears were streaming down from my eyes and even Hui-mang was wiping away the tears on the corner of her eyes. It took us good few minutes to calm down and look at each others with beaming smiles.
"I think we have to make something delicious for him to make it up to him." She commented finally ceasing her laughter making me nod in agreement.
"Well look who is having fun hear!" I heard an other female voice out of nowhere and Hui-mang forced, face going white as a sheet. We both slowly turned around to notice a female figure standing their on the bridge few feet away from us glowing brightly among the darkness that surrounded us. I felt Hui-mang clutching my wrist and stepping forward shielding me from the sudden intruder. Her whole stance was stiff as a rock and noticed how her eyes were wide in surprise.
"Lilith?"