Rome POV
I lean against the wall, waiting for the pounding in my head to stop. The halls were empty, all was silent as the last of the song finished echoing in the air. I came for my appointment, why was someone blasting music in the hospital? It was strange, not even a nurse came by in the time I was here. Now the music stopped, so did my headache.
I hear light footsteps and two small figures run past me, heading away from the staircase where I was going. One was Simi, the other the duck she brought to P'Bright to have treated. It turns out, he did pass and is a vet.
"Follow that girl and the flapping duck," Beam yells running past.
I should ignore him, I learned a lot about him from our drinking night and the Princess Group, I should go the other way. I take a few steps, but my curiosity makes me stop, I turn around and follow. I find Beam staring inside what looks like a supplies closet, his mouth open and soon see why.
"Why is there a shiny portal in the closet of your hospital doc?"
I watched sci-fi, who didn't and that was definitely a portal of some kind.
"Let's go through and find out." He sounds excited. "Be prepared, for anything."
"Are you insane?" I grab his arm. "Do you not watch horror movies? The side character always gets killed when they go through."
"Don't worry, I will protect you." He grins.
"I meant you."
"Hey! That's rude. I'm the hero." Beam grabs my arm. "Come on, we have to save the kids."
"Shouldn't we call security?" I try reason again.
"They are all asleep." Beam glares. "The idiots can't handle the music, good thing Simi warned me, and I shoved wool into my ears, or I would be asleep too."
I'm pulled through before I can protest. This couldn't be real. I wasn't feeling well, leaning against the wall I must have fainted, and this is all an illusion...that's very bright, mostly white walls and what looks like glass rooms holding...people. Walls covered with monitors, showing different rooms on the far wall.
"P'Beam." A young voice gets our attention. "This one, it's this one."
Simi is standing near a glass door not far, there is a sleeping woman inside. The room has a small folder clipped to the door, Beam frowns reading what it says. He moves around and reads a few more.
"Humans." He sounds surprised. "They are all humans."
"Why are you more shocked than me?" I ask looking around, but see no one. "You said to be prepared for anything."
Did he see things like this often? I recently found out about Vampires and Demons; this was new to me.
"Well, yes but I was not prepared for a secret warehouse with humans being experimented on."
"What were you expecting? Vampires and bears?"
"Vampires and ducks."
"Duckie says we should hide." Simi looks up at us. "Quickly."
Beam and I look at the duck, when did it talk?
"This place might not be good." Beam takes out his phone. "I'm calling my minions."
"Do they have sharp teeth and red glowing eyes?"
"Yes! Did sensei get you, minions, too?"
"Is that them?" I point to two guys who appeared on one of the screens.
"No, that's vampires I don't know."
Beam grabs Simi, I grab the duck and run back to the place we appeared. Where before there was a shiny portal, there is now a stone wall made of rock.
"We should have called security before we went into the shiny portal." Beam snaps. "Why did I listen to you?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Granny POV
She checked the taste, replacing the lid and turning off the stove. Rome would be home from his appointment soon, he wasn't eating properly, the soup would be good for him. Remembering that night still made her heart race, she was glad she listened to Nami and had Bright move in.
The incident with the demon left them all shaken, Rome most of all. Bright was taking him to see a specialist at the hospital. Granny touched the wall when she felt a little light-headed, turning when she heard a click.
Pushed to the ground, not even managing to make a sound as someone covers her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock seeing the woman, it was Din's mother. Nami's warning running through her mind, don't ever be alone with that woman. Granny tried to fight but her arms are pulled to her side as the woman traps her.
"Let me..." Granny's voice was silenced again.
"You really shouldn't have interfered, you old biddy." Din's mother seethes above her. "I'm going to make sure you're no longer a problem for my son."
Granny watched as the woman pulled something from her bag, a strange smell filled the air. Everything felt hot, hazy. Her lungs burned, eyes watering, feeling as though she was being pulled apart.
A malevolent echo of words rang through the room. She blinked to clear her eyes but it made it worse. Her struggles stopped, her body going rigid as everything went dark.
~~~~~~~~~~
Arthit POV
"I hear there will be a velvet tux, for the wedding." Bright grinned. "Blush pink for you and powder blue for Kongpob."
"That better be a joke." Tutah looked horrified. "For the love of all that is sane, tell me that's a joke."
"We want to see the invitations before final decisions are made." Bright looks around for agreement. "I am, the best man."
"Says bloody who?" Tutah glares. "That's me."
"Never thought Arthit would be the first of us to marry." Prem sighed. "I was sure it would be me."
"I had bets on Bright, knocking up a girl and being forced to at gunpoint."
"Why me? Why not Knott?"
"He's a gentleman."
I smiled when Knott sighed, he hated being called that.
"Gentleman?" Bright objected. "He's had more girlfriends than anyone."
"Says the guy chasing someone else's fiancé."
"Shut it toot, I saw him first." Bright defends. "And the engagement is officially off."
"I thought you said romance wasn't for you?" Prem smirked.
"I thought the same but now..." He watches me. "Might be worth giving it a go."
The others turned to look at me, there was something new in their eyes. I might be seeing it wrong but it looked a little like hope to me. Hope for so many, it was here because Kongpob came back.
He came to pick me up yesterday, today was my turn. I stop at the lights, turning when I feel it, smiling at the face of my Beloved. I gasp, the cold press of magic as something digs into my chest. The one smiling back is not my Kongpob.
"Hello, Arthit."
"Demon..."
How did he get so close to me? I call Knott's name. I grab his arm before he can do more harm, I didn't feel him near, I felt no power but...
"I'm a Demon Lord, you don't win that easily, little boy." He whispers close to my ear, his tone condescending. "I prepared a nightmare, just for you."
I fall to my knees when someone hits the demon, pushing him away from me. Kongpob's arm immediately around me as I take deep breaths.
"I'm the one you want." Kongpob looked at the demon with pure rage, his body humming with my power. "Stay away from P'Arthit."
"Well, hello Kongpob, it's been a while. I came to end another one of your lives." The demon smiles. "You should be grateful, Kongpob, I came with a gift for you."
He raises a hand, a wooden box appears in his palm, the lid inlaid with jade symbols opens. A peridot gem shimmering as it levitates. A swift movement of his fingers, it hovers near Kongpob, breaking as green mist escapes and flows into him.
I catch him as he falls, his barriers are gone, his breathing barely audible, even to me. The demon laughs, preparing to attack, I feel the magic around us, he's cornered us in with a barrier. I can't fully fight him and guard Kongpob at the same time. The power coming from him feels like my Beloved.
"Let's have a little talk." The demon summons power he shouldn't have. "No one will bother us..."
The demon flips back as lashes hit from above, he hisses when one hits, dodging the rest.
"What made you so arrogant." Grandfather appears. "To think I would allow you, to harm my children."
The demon attacks again but grandfather is faster, he counters every move, every attack with the same power. The air hums, the ground shakes as the different forces clash, again and again. I shield Kongpob as I hold him close, the small wisps of demon magic trying to restore the link with the demon.
The sky turns dark, the demon lands not far, his body smoking with vampire mist. He stands, wiping something from his cheek, his eyes burning with rage seeing the blood. I heighten my shields when he attacks, but I won't be able to stop all of it. Grandfather is faster, his shield protecting us. The demon uses the distraction to escape.
"You don't get a happy ending, Arthit. I gave him back his memories." The demon laughs as he fades. "He will never sing for you again."