Shot.
Shot?
Shot...
He was shot.
"You guys need to stand down from the search." I hissed at the demons sitting in front of me. "A demon is dead!"
"So?" The demons sitting at my right scoffed. "What can I do about it? Clearly wrong place, wrong time."
"Listen to me, dammit!" My hand slammed against the table, frustration leaking into my voice. "The reward is off! No more drinks on house!"
"Excuse me?" The one sitting across him narrowed his eyes. "Did you just make me waste three days only to cancel the reward?"
I could see the ink rise in his eyes. A sigh escaped me. "Fine! Sorry. Drinks on the house tonight in compensation."
"That won't do. You promised a week."
"I did. But I also didn't expect one of you to die." I snapped.
"Well..." The angry demon raised an eyebrow, eyes turning back to normal. "What if I did find out something?"
A chill crossed through me. "Don't tell me... Hunters?" My voice was low, filled with fear.
He shrugged. "I can't be sure. But I've been following the essence signature of the missing demon and the angel. The demon seemed to have been following the same. And both their essence vanish in the same place."
"What's the place?"
"Free drinks for a week?"
I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Sure! Yeah! Fine! Tell me!"
The demon shifted uneasily. He was lying. He was affected by the other demon's death. If not that, then the circumstances of it.
"It's in... It's in the same place the demon was found."
My gut curled. No confirmation of it being Hunters. But no confirmation that it wasn't them either. "Is that demon dead?"
"What do mean?"
"Is his essence gone? Or was that just his vessel?"
"I can't be certain but-"
"The essence is gone." The first demon cut in, drawing my eyes to him. "I knew that one. It's gone."
I bit my lip. This is bad. Very bad. And...
"Fuck." I whispered, placing a hand over my eyes. "This is my fault."
"Kind of." Soothing words. "But it's fine really. There's enough of us."
"Yeah." The other joined in. "Besides, you're the only one who noticed and did something about it."
"Something that got one of you killed." I dropped my hand. "Fuck. I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. How do you guys live like this?"
"We don't." He snickered. "We're not alive."
"I-
"Ryleigh?"
Rob's voice jolted me out of my recollection. I looked up from my plate. "Yeah?"
He gave me a small smile. "You seem distracted."
I did. I was. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about this since I saw the news yesterday. "Yeah. Sorry." I shifted, sitting up straight and rolling my neck. "Sorry."
"Wow, you're really distracted." He chuckled. "You just apologized twice."
"I did?" I shook my head to myself. "Sorr-I mean-I-" I exhaled harshly, throwing him a small, forced smile. "Just some stuff weighing on my mind."
Rob reached across the table, placing his hand on mine and leaning forward. "You can talk about it."
I really can't. It's not time to start pushing you away yet. It's only our second date.
Besides, literally crazy ex-girlfriend does have a nice ring to it.
"Just a bad night." I leaned back in the chair, resisting the urge to shake his hand off mine. "Nightmares, bad sleep."
"Really?" Rob looked me over. "It barely shows. You look amazing today."
I laughed. Boring. "Thanks. You look good too. Thanks for... calling me out today." I nodded in addition. "This was much needed." Couldn't have come at a worse time.
"I can see that." He smirked. "You need a drink."
I raised an eyebrow, looking around the place. "They don't serve alcohol here."
"Let's go back to my place. I make a mean Bloody Mary."
He's... really saying he'll make a cocktail for a bartender.
I laughed, shaking my head again. "No, thanks. I have to head back to work soon." I glanced down at my watch, feeling relieved that I was right. "Let's get the bill. I'll pay this time."
"Right." Rob scoffed, raising his hand to call the waitress over. "Like I'll let you."
"Yes, you will." My hand moved from under his to the top, holding it down as I pulled out some cash. The waitress walked over to me as Rob struggled to release his hand from my grip. There's no way he could reach the wallet in his back pocket with his non-dominant hand.
I let go once the waitress had taken my money. He'd given up struggling a while back, resorting to a tired glare. "You didn't need to do that."
"You paid the first time. There's no way I'm letting you pay the second."
He laughed, standing up right as I did. Leaning in, he pecked me on my cheek as I shrugged my jacket on. "Let me atleast drop you back off."
"You don't need to." I replied, turning to face him as I pulled out the hair trapped under the jacket collar. "You already drove so far on your lunch break to meet me."
"Your bar isn't far from here." Rob shrugged, falling into step beside me as I turned towards the exit. "Shouldn't take long. It's no big deal, really."
I sighed. As much as I wasn't in the mood to be social, I could use the distraction. My circling thoughts and distracted demeanour wasn't going unnoticed back at my work either. I'm sure Henry and the girls could use a break from me zoning out on them.
"... technically, I'm going to head home after this, not work."
"Oh, really?" I looked up as he held the door open for me. I'd zoned out again. "No more work for the day?"
"You pushed the timings of our lunch a bit back." He gestured to the sky with the almost set sun. "It's more like an evening snack."
"Yeah. Sorry about that." I got in the car. "We were busy discussing some hiring decisions."
I went quiet as he closed the door. He spoke up once he entered the driver's side. "Hiring?"
"Yeah." I nodded, reaching around for the seatbelt. "It's exhausting working as a waitress in the morning and tending bar at night. I didn't really mind it till now, but it made me realise that I barely have free time during the day to myself because of it." The clip clicked into the side of the seat. "Plus, that way we can have more consistent opening times that don't depend on me being in or out."
"Makes sense. Didn't Clara tell you to do this?"
I grimaced. "She did... but I wasn't really thinking about it up till then."
"Ah, so she set the idea in motion." He glanced up and down the street before pulling out into the traffic. "When are you dropping the news?"
I chuckled, glancing at him sideways. "Why? You interested?"
He smiled back, winking at me. "If it means I get to see you all day- I'll consider it."
I rolled my eyes, smiling to myself. "Shut up. But it would be nice if you already know someone looking for a morning shift."
Rob laughed, stopping at a red light. "I'll put out the word around the office. Some of my co-workers kids might be interested."
"Do mention it's the morning shift. I already have two covering evenings and weekends."
"Hard working kids." Rob sighed, eyes lost in memories as he started driving again. "All I remember wanting to do at that age was playing more and hanging out with my friends."
"What? No girlfriend for the star track kid at 17?"
He chuckled. "No, not really. There was a girl I liked, but she wasn't into me. I asked out a random girl from my class for the final year dance."
"That's nice. She say yes?"
"She did. But I have to admit- I wasn't the best date."
"Ouch."
"What about you? How was your high school experience?"
"It was fine." I didn't like thinking about those times. All the good memories from back then were marred by the foster homes I stayed in. "I had my fun."
"What? No memorable times?"
"Memorable enough... but I was happier out of the education system."
"Why? No high school friends you stay in touch with?"
Does a faked memory count? "Nope. Good riddance, I say."
"Wow." Rob shook his head to himself. "I don't hear any hate in your voice, yet I'm surprised about how detached you are with your childhood. I'm still in touch with so many people from-from high school, neighbours, even some teachers."
"Good for you, Rob." He glanced at me sideways, vaguely realising how deadpan I sounded. "I mean, I'm just not a very sentimental person. I've moved around a lot in the foster system. State to state, city to city."
"Oh, right." He frowned. "I'm sorry. I forgot you were..."
I smiled at him reassuringly, reaching out to pat the hand on the gear shift. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, uh-sorry again."
He forgot that I'm an orphan. I was used to it. And while earlier it would bother me, now I didn't even flinch.
Which meant I sat in comfortable silence as Rob squirmed in his self-imposed awkwardness. He only spoke up as we were turning into the parking lot of the bar. I could see some of regulars already lined up at the counter.
"Hey, when do you want to meet up next?" I asked casually as he slowed down.
Rob looked at me, grey eyes glinting in the dark before he shrugged. "When is it possible for you to be free next?"
"Hmm... Weekend's approaching. A few days after that?"
"Sounds good to me." He stopped the car. "How about dinner this time?"
I smiled. "Let me guess. Your place?"
"I was going to suggest that, but you beat me there."
My smile widened. About damn time. This flirting was getting boring. "Yup. See you then." I leaned in, giving him a quick kiss before leaving the car. I could see a goofy smile on his face as he drove away. Mine dropped almost the moment I was out of the car.
This was fun when I didn't have anything on my plate. Now, there's some unprecedented stuff to deal with.
When night fell and my other customers arrived, I was glad to see that the demons I'd talked to yesterday had taken my advice. They'd given up the search. I'd been worried that one of them might decide not to, but there seemed to be no such problem here. There was no love lost for their fellow beings among them. It made giving up on each other like this much easier. It made forgetting about a dead demon much easier for them.
However, I can't let this go. I've haven't heard from Mike or Lou for over a week now. And it's stressing me out.
"Ryleigh!" I looked up at hearing my name, a smile forming on my lips as I saw a familiar face. "I heard you were offering drinks on the house!"
"Hey, Axel." I chuckled, shaking my head as he approached the bar. "The offer's off. You're a few days, and one death, too late."
"Damn." He frowned, leaning on the counter as I wiped down the glasses. "That one demon dying really affected you that much?"
"Fairly enough." I sighed. "Atleast now I know it's dangerous enough not to send any more of you out there."
"We're a self-serving kind. I'm pretty sure the guys would have given up when they heard about that death."
"Nice to know. But it's too late, they got their free drinks." I grumbled to myself. I had a feeling they were playing me.
Axel chuckled, slipping on to a stool, much to the irritation of an angel beside him. "You need me around to tell you about stuff like this."
An idea formed in my head. I looked up slowly at him, meeting his eyes. "Now that you mention it, I have a bit of a job for you."
His eyes lit up. "A job?"
"Yes." My eyes went to the angels approaching the register. "Stay back after everyone's gone. We'll discuss this later."
Axel pouted. "Fine. But I don't see the need for secrecy."
I ignored his comment, continuing my job of serving drinks through the night. I couldn't shut down earlier than usual even though I was tempted. The barrier Lou had put up when he'd started coming here again wouldn't let me leave anyway.
Much to Axel's credit, he sat there in silence as I did some extra work while waiting for the barrier to go down. The first tick of the clock when it did was loud. I looked up, nodding once. "Let's go."
"Where?" Axel asked, chin in his palm and looking bored out of his mind.
"Out." I left the glasses to air-dry, exiting from behind the counter and moving towards Axel. He stood up, but I interrupted him in the middle of his stretch. "Let's go."
"H-hey!" He stumbled after me as I dragged him towards the door. "What's the hurry?"
"Enough." I replied curtly. My free hand slid against the wall, switching off the lights in the bar. "Lock it."
"Uh, o-okay." I heard the door click behind me, shutters dragging themselves down noisily in the silent night. "But where?!"
We stopped in the middle of the empty parking lot. Axel stopped beside me, seeming slightly breathless. He watched me in silence as I scrolled through my phone, before pulling up an image and showing it to him. "Here."
Axel looked over it blankly, slight irritation crossing through his face. "I can't just go somewhere from a picture, Ryleigh. This looks like every other alleyway."
"Shit." I should've expected this. I pulled the phone back to me. "What if I give you an address?"
"Do I look like a map?"
"Ugh. Have you explored this town?"
"Not a lot."
"I remember you drove back with Rob that day. How far did you two go?"
Axel looked away, smirking. "Sheesh, Ryleigh. Asking details like that? I don't kiss and tell."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't make me smack you."
His smirk widened. "Depends on how hard you do it."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine! Make a deal with me. Co-operate with me tonight, and then I'll let you into my bed."
Axel's eyes widened excitedly. He turned back to face me. "Now, we're cooking with gas. You want to go to Rob's? Though I don't suggest showing up at his door in the middle of the night."
"Not that." I rolled my eyes, pulling up the map. "I need to go here. Where's the farthest you've gone?"
Axel looked at the screen, placing a finger on it and dragging in a random direction. "It seems to be about a ten minute walk away. Are you fine with that?"
"Peachy." I replied, reaching out immediately to grab the hand at his side. "Let's go."
He sighed, fingers tightening around my own. "I feel like a tax-"
His voice was cut off as a familiar cold surrounded me. I felt the breath leave my lungs, strange whispering fill my ears in the dark void. It had been a while since I'd come here. But it felt different from the times Lou had done this.
When the air returned to my lungs, I opened my eyes, shivering slightly from the cold that had permeated my bones. Axel looked me over, gently reaching up to brush his fingers over my eyebrows. "Frost." He explained.
"Thanks." I mumbled, fingers tightening around his hand this time. "Let's go."
Axel held my hand as I started off walking at a brisk pace before breaking into a fast jog. He didn't seem laboured by the exercise at all, following right on my heels in silence as we ran through the night. He took every turn with me, matching pace with ease and not letting go of my hand once. I was breathing heavily by the time I stopped, staring down a dark alleyway that was, as Axel had said, 'like any other alleyway'.
"Why are we here?" Axel asked, no signs of labor in his voice.
I let go of his hand. "This is where that demon was killed." I took a few steps forward, looking up and down the mossy brick walls and the dumpsters. "I'm looking for anything the police might have missed."
Axel sighed. "A demon got killed here, and you brought me, another demon, to look for clues as to why the first demon got killed here?"
"No, actually." I waved a hand over my shoulder, walking down the alley. "Keep a watch out. I don't want to be murdered either."
Axel chuckled, his voice echoing in the surrounding walls. "Gotcha, babe. There's nothing in there, by the way."
"I can see essence, you know."
"I know. But still, nothing there."
Slightly disappointing, but there's got to be something else.
I stepped around the suspicious big black stain on the ground, looking up and down the alleyway. My nose wrinkled as I moved towards the dumpsters. I'm pretty sure they'd been cleared out a few days before, but I decided to check inside anyway. Nasty. Horrible. Last thing I wanted to do. And it was exactly what I'd expected. Useless.
The police would have bagged any evidence they found. I doubt I'd find anything. But it's worth a check. A thorough check.
"You need any help back there?" Axel called out as I switched on my phone's light.
"Nope." I replied, stifling a shudder as I started looking over the ground. It was cold and wet inside this alleyway. The long shirt and leggings I was wearing did nothing to mitigate the effects of the cold. It being the dead of the night did not help.
Axel's patience with me as I roamed the alleyway no less than ten times was commendable. I even crouched to look under the dumpsters a few times. Axel used his strength to pull the dumpsters away from the wall to let me check as well, but there was nothing. The place was clean. As clean as an alleyway could be.
I felt any hopes I had inside me deflate as I started backing up to the entrance, looking over the dirty cement once more for a last clue.
"Bad day, Sherlock?"
"Shut up, Axel." I could feel the frustration clogging up my throat. "Just... shut up."
"Aye." I felt his hand slide around my shoulder. "You're freezing, Ryleigh. Let's get back home."
"I..." I trailed off, eyes still desperately bouncing from ground, to dumpster, to wall, to the stain over and over again as if I would uncover one piece. One clue. One little bit of hair or even-or even anything that would help me find them.
"Ryleigh." Axel's voice was gentler this time. "There's nothing here."
He's right. There's nothing here. Nothing at all. But... "How?" I gritted out, the single word leaking through the lump in my throat. "How am I... How am I going to find them, Axel?"
Axel's hand tightened on my shoulder, pulling me to him right as my vision started blurring over. He pressed his lips to the side of my forehead. "It's going to be okay, Ryleigh. They're both strong. They'll find their way out."
I didn't reply to that, feeling my gut curl against that.
"How?" Was the last thing I said before Axel whisked me away. Pulling me back into the void.
*************
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The frustration seems to be getting to Ryleigh. She seems to have underestimated the danger to their kinds, and that one inconsequential death now hovers over her.
Is this what might possibly happen to our favourite demon and angel? Or will Ryleigh be able to save her guys?
Vote and comment!
Read on to find out more!
********************
Not a lot of entries for the characters Q&A unfortunately.
But just enough for me to indulge you guys and myself with the some casual question and answering.
Let's start!
Q: Does Lou secretly like Ryleigh?
Mike: *scoff* secretly?
Ryleigh: *eye roll* secretly?
Lou: Secretly? I thought I'd made it quite obvious. In case I didn't- Ryleigh, I like you.
Ryleigh: Thanks, Lou.
Lou: Do you like me too?
Ryleigh: I like...
Lou: Come on, don't be shy.
Ryleigh: ... your money.
Lou: That can't be it, right?
Mike: Boring. Next question.
Lou: Wait. I'm no-
______________
Q: Does Mike secretly like Ryleigh? Also I love it when those two play husband and wife with the little chores if only they could play husband and wife in the bedroom ehehehehe wink wink do iT AUTHOR
Mike: She's passably acceptable as a human acquaintances.
Ryleigh: That's a yes, by the way. I like you too, Mike.
Lou: 'husband and wife'? What do you two get to behind my back?
Mike: None of your business.
Ryleigh: Nothing much, Lou. Just some 'husband and wife' stuff.
Lou: Do not joke around about this stuff with me, feathers.
Mike: I do not know what 'husband and wife' stuff is being asked about, but I can assure you it's nothing sexual.
Lou: And it better stay that way.
Ryleigh: Keep wishing, Lou.
_____________
Q: Hello! I'd like to ask about Lou's body count! Thank you for writing 'Closing Time'! He's my favourite character, by the way!
Ryleigh: I should have seen this one coming.
Mike: If by body count, they mean literal bodies, we'll be stuck here for several years.
Lou: They're talking about the people I've slept with, feathers.
Mike: Why would anyone be interested in that?
Lou: What's your body count, feathers?
Mike: Pass.
Lou: It's not a reader question.
Ryleigh: I'm curious too.
Mike: And you shall remain curious.
Lou: That's a shame. Anyway, asking about my body count is rather rude. But if you're interested in being added to it...
Mike: This sounds like a violation of our truce.
________________
Q: I wanted to ask about Ryleigh! There's a chapter in the beginning where she's almost about to kiss a female angel. Is Ryleigh a closeted lesbian? Or bi? It would explain why she never fell for Lou or Mike (In this house, we do not talk about Asshole) . By the way, I'd willingly offer Lou my soul, I'm sure he knows where to find me ;)
Ryleigh: If this was a question for me, why didn't you let it stay for me? Why would you end it like that? Stop it. Get some help.
Lou: I've wondered this myself, by the way.
Ryleigh: Lou, I swear to-
Mike: She was being seduced by the angel in question. She had no control over her actions.
Ryleigh: Sounds about right.
Lou: Not that it matters, but I don't mind switching up vessels for you.
Ryleigh: You're right. It doesn't matter.
Mike: Sex really does not. Neither does physical attraction. Human beings have redundant mating methods.
Ryleigh: Okay, Mr. Animal Documentary.
Lou: Redundant, but fun. Go hump a coconut, feathers.
Mike: Not only redundant, but I don't see the correlation or the us-
Ryleigh: You're both redundant. Shut up.
_________________
Q: ARE THERE HUNTERS AGAIN!?!!!!! Also, AXEL POPPED UP AND HASNT BEEN FEATURED. WHERE IS HE AND HE BETTER BE OKAY.
Axel: This might surprise a lot of you, but I do have to manage my human job alongside my demon existence. I have clients who expect deliverables. And deadlines to be met.
Ryleigh: Sounds rather redundant for a demon, if you ask me.
Axel: Well, they didn't ask you, did they?
Ryleigh: Don't be rude. You can do whatever, and go wherever. Yet you willingly do a human job.
Axel: Is it that much of an anomaly to enjoy myself with human tasks?
Ryleigh: Fine. Fine. Sorry. Go enjoy whatever.
Axel: Also, if there are Hunters again- invite me to the party this time. I missed the last one.
Ryleigh: Human massacre isn't a party.
Axel: For you, maybe.
Ryleigh: I need new friends.
Axel: Make them Hunters again.
Mike: I'd rather she avoid the Hunters. We saw what happened the last time she made a 'friend'.
Ryleigh: Hey, I was tri-
Lou: If you're looking, you know where to find me.
Ryleigh: I don't sleep with-
Axel: Sorry, bossman. But dibs on Ryleigh.
Lou: Do you wish to die? I've known her longer.
Axel: I know her better.
Lou: I saw her first.
Ryleigh: Saw? I'm not prop-
Mike: I work for her sometimes.
Lou: Butt out, feathers. I've got beef with this demon.
Ryleigh: Take it outside! I'm not going to be beefed over like a piece of... meat.
Axel: Technically, you are one.
Lou: He is right.
Mike: Agreed, for once.
Ryleigh: Another word out of any of you, and I'm cutting you off.
_______________
That's it! I enjoy writing stuff like this!
Thank you for the DM submissions! If any of you wish to ask something else, comment, post on my wall, or DM me! I'll gather the questions and have the characters answer them again at the end of the Part 2!
Have a good rest of the week!