13. Rai

Chapter thirteen

Rai

Things Got A Little Messy

S ix months, that was how long I'd been fighting demons and Hell bound humans since I left the Guild. There were a few moments when the kill was difficult, but in the end, I handled it. The other five Guardians didn't bother me about my choice to fight alone. To be honest, I was expecting at least a lecture or two, but nothing.

It was Azazel who continued to pester me, at least, he did for the first two months, then he transitioned to flirting with me—which was more annoying than him calling me an idiot for fighting alone. He was everything I desired, bold, confident, powerful, and sinfully gorgeous and it was the whole sin part of that which kept me at bay. I also wondered if he was a top or bottom, or did he switch? What would it be like to plunder his demonic ass? He boasted about how great he was in bed, and it left me very curious. So curious, I'd jerked off to fantasies of him, but that was as far as I would allow myself to take it. I could never... would never fuck a demon, let alone fall in love with one, no matter how much his silent presence was a comfort to me. Because, for the past three months, that was what was happening. Azazel was just watching me from afar, I could feel him when he was near. The fact that I knew I could depend on him if I needed to gave me certain feelings I wasn't ready to explore.

I stepped out of the shower and dried off. When I opened the door of my bathroom, I stopped dead in my tracks. Azazel was lounging on my bed dressed in an all-black suit that looked like it was tailored to fit his form to perfection. He looked at me with those indigo eyes of his and smiled. He actually caught my be surprise, because I didn't sense him. Did that mean powerful demons could mask their auras?

"That was a long shower... I started to join you," he said with a devilish smirk.

I sighed. "If you come into my home again without an invitation, I'm going to find a way to block your demonic ass," I said.

He chuckled and then patted the bed. "Come on, join me. It's not like I can't tell that you want me, Rai."

I rolled my eyes at that, then turned to walk to my dresser to put on some underwear—the most constricting kind. The last thing I needed Azazel to see was the tent my cock made in the towel wrapped around my waist. I could feel his eyes on me, watching my every move as I slipped on the underwear and then removed my towel.

"Awww, not even a little glance of that beautiful ass of yours," Azazel flirted.

"Is there a reason you're here, Azazel?" I asked, then began to get dressed. I had to cut off his game because if I let him continue to flirt, I might lose my resolve and take him up on his offer to fuck his brains out. Boy, I wanted to pound him into my mattress. It was becoming increasingly harder for me to resist the bastard who'd been in my dreams since I was twelve years old and erotically since I was sixteen. That kiss we shared at the club back then still lingered on my lips.

"God, you're no fun," Azazel fussed as he climbed off my bed.

I turned to him. "I wasn't put on this Earth to be your fucking entertainment."

"No, you were put on this Earth to be my fucking Guardian, but you fucking suck at that, too," Azazel snapped, all of his playful flirtation gone from his tone and expression.

"Well, someone seems sexually frustrated," I taunted.

He rolled his eyes. "That would make two of us." He pointed to my crotch and I looked down to see that my cock had betrayed me again.

I huffed. "Again, demon, why are you here?"

Azazel brushed his hand through his bangs, only to have them fall gracefully back into his face, making him look like a damn model. "Demons are up to something. There's been talk of them looking for a key of some sort."

"Do you know why or what that key is?"

"Is this you accepting my help?"

"No," I shot back.

"Only a fool cuts off his nose to spite his face, Rai. Are you a fool?"

"And only an idiot and narcissist can't take a hint. I. Don't. Need. You. Leave," I snapped.

He just scoffed, but then vanished before my eyes in a puff of black smoke, which dissipated instantly and that looked pretty cool, to be honest.

I slid my leather jacket on to go out and enjoy my night. I remembered what Darius had told me before I left. He wanted me to enjoy my life. Being a Guardian didn't mean that I hunted demons in my every waking moment. I was given plenty of means to live a fulfilled life and I made sure to indulge. I ate at the best restaurants in the city and Chicago had plenty. Patronized the theaters, orchestras, all of the things I'd never experienced as a kid. My parents were working class and splurges had to come on a budget.

I missed my family, but I decided not to check in on them. I knew they were alive. If demons ever caught me spying on them, they'd get inquisitive and I refused to put them in danger. I snatched my motorcycle keys off the counter and opened the door to leave when I saw Marcel standing in front of me, hand out as if he were about to press my bell.

"What's up?" I asked.

He smirked and held up an envelope. "We need to talk."

I checked my watch to note the time. My movie didn't start for half an hour and the theater was ten minutes away. I had time. I let him in. "So, what is this about?" I asked as he walked over to my kitchen island and sat down on one of the two stools. I remained standing on the other side.

"The demons are up to something big, but I don't know what yet. There's been a lot of talk about looking for some kind of key," Marcel said, and his tone was ominous.

I frowned because Azazel had just told me about this before I made him leave. "What's in the envelope?" I pointed at it.

"Here." Marcel handed it to me and I opened it, reading the contents and looking at the photos of several kids, some looked like teenagers. "Other Guards have noted demons scoping out these kids and their families. Some kids have gone missing who were living on the streets and from orphanages."

I paid close attention to every photo. I looked over the notes taken for their identities, the locations of their homes, schools, their parents' workplaces, et cetera. "Just what in the hell are they up to?" I asked myself, but Marcel answered.

"I don't know."

I gave him an exasperated look. "I know that already. I was just talking to myself."

"Oh? Sorry." He shrugged apologetically.

"Do the other Guardians know anything?"

He shrugged. "You can ask them."

"Lot of help you are," I teased.

He laughed. "You get what you pay for."

This time, I chuckled. "I guess I'll have to pass on that movie tonight. I'm going to check out these kids and their families. See if I get tingles from any of them."

Marcel nodded. "That's a skill us Guards don't have."

"Skill, curse, gift... it's all subjective. Sometimes, I wish I didn't sense otherworldly shit all of the time. I'd like to walk into a bar, have a drink, target some hot guy to fuck, and have a go. Not see a demon, wonder what they're up to, then have to fight their evil asses."

Marcel smirked. "Don't know what you're complaining about. Sounds like fun to me."

"Not when my dick is hard and I just want to get laid," I said, then stuffed the photos and notes back into the envelope.

"Do the other Guardians know that you have a toilet for a mouth?" Marcel joked.

I nodded. "They know I'm a lost cause." I nodded toward the door. "I'm going to head out."

"Hey, what about your Champion? He's a demon, he might know something," Marcel wisely pointed out, but he didn't know how much I hated that idea.

"He won't give me anything unless I accept him," I said.

Marcel snorted. "Are you still on that bullshit, Rai? You need him, why won't you just accept that fact?"

"Because I don't and you can never accept a deal with a demon," I said.

"He's no regular demon."

"Why are you on his side?" I fussed.

"I'm not. I'm on yours, which is why I said for you to just accept him. Call him," Marcel urged.

"No. Now, can I go take care of my business?"

"Sure," Marcel said, then he followed me out. He got into his car and I put on my helmet and climbed onto my BMW S1000 XR, then hit the road.

I had to drive my agitation away. For the past six months, I had been hearing that I needed to accept Azazel, but I couldn't. If I did, if I went as far as to accept him as my Champion... with the way I felt about him... what else would I accept? Would I accept the forbidden emotions I had toward him? People in the Guild already treated me like a freak, imagine what they'd think if I let all of my inhibitions go? No. I had to stick to my guns. I pushed those thoughts from my mind and focused on my mission.

The first house I checked out, I did sense demonic activity brewing, but it was from outside the house. Inside, were just normal people enjoying their dinner. Maybe they were out of the woods where the danger was concerned, maybe not. The aura of the demons was fading, so maybe these people weren't who they were looking for.

I left and went to the second home, which was located on the far north side of Chicago in the Ravenswood area. Like with the first family, the demonic aura was fading, almost gone. That meant that this family was also eliminated. I wish I knew why demons had been looking into them in the first place.

I pulled out my cell and contacted Darius.

He answered. "Good to hear from you, Rai. How is everything?"

"Nice to hear from you, too. I'm good, but I have a question. Demons have been caught by the Guards spying on certain families but I don't know why. There's been some chatter about them looking for a key. Do you know anything about that?"

"A key?" Darius repeated.

"Yeah."

There was some silence while he contemplated. "I'll have to get back to you on that. I'm not sure. I haven't seen any unusual demon activity on my end."

"The Guards gave me some photos of kids and their home addresses that demons have targeted for whatever reason," I said. "I'm looking into them now."

"That's good. Keep me posted. Perhaps your Champion might be able to shed some light," Darius said, and I knew what he was suggesting.

"Didn't he get outcast by his own kind? I doubt it," I stated. I didn't want to tell Darius that Azazel had already reached out to me.

"Never hurts to ask."

"Yes, it will. I'll let you know if I find out anything, Later," I said, then ended the call before he could deal out any of his pearls of wisdom to me. I slipped my phone back into my pocket, then headed off to the third location, which was located in the South Shore area. I passed the golf course, then pulled into a parking lot of an apartment complex of Veronica's home. Immediately, I sensed a demonic aura, a fresh one. I pulled off my helmet and climbed off my bike. I had to break the lock to the automatic door using my strength.

The closer I got to her family's apartment, the stronger the demonic aura grew. This was a problem. That meant the demons were either here, or had just left. I quickened my pace down the hall and heard a loud crash and screams. A neighbor came out of their apartment to find out what that noise was, but I pulled out my fake badge.

"Please, return to your home. Lock the door," I said, then pulled out my gun.

That always made people have enough fear to hide. Which meant they weren't in my way. Now, if they were too damn nosy, that was on them. I couldn't protect those who didn't follow directions. The neighbor gasped and nodded before closing their door and locking it. I ran two doors down and kicked the door open to see six demons, strong ones by their aura, blood on their hands, and bodies on the floor at their feet.

Shit, was I too late?

I aimed my gun and fired, but they were fast. Faster than any demon I'd come up against thus far. I managed to hit one in his stomach and he doubled over, half grunting, half growling. They were transforming now, shedding their human facade to reveal the demons underneath. Red eyes, mouths full of razor-sharp teeth, claws, wings, black skin... deadly.

I pulled out my sword, pushing the button to make the blade extend. I charged forward, slicing and stabbing, kicking and dodging their attacks. They worked as a team, moving to my blind spots, and I caught a blow against my face that sent me sliding across the floor. My gun fell from my hand and I scrambled to get it and reload, but another demon kicked it out of the way, then another grabbed my ankle and slung me as if I weighed nothing.

I went careening through the air and slammed into the large TV, shattering it. The pain wracked my body and I moaned from the brutal impact as I landed on the floor, the TV falling on top of me. I shoved the TV away, then sliced at the first demon who was closest to me, cutting off both of his legs. He roared in agony as he fell to the floor, blood gushing from his stumps. I raised my sword to finish him off when another demon kicked me in the back and I fell forward, my sword sliding across the room.

Fuck, I had to get to one of my weapons. I scrambled to my feet, but they were quick, blocking me, and I had to fight, using my hand-to-hand skills. I punched, kicked, and jabbed, but with it being five to one, I was at a serious disadvantage. I was kicked by a demon and went flying through the wall into another room. Dust and debris filled the air, and plaster fell upon me as I lay there, groaning in excruciating pain. I was sure I'd broken three ribs. The good thing was that they were healing, the bad thing was, I was still outnumbered.

I sat up and that was when I saw Veronica, lying on the floor, barely breathing, but still alive. I had to save her! I needed to get out of there with her. I climbed to my feet, wincing as I did but before I could reach her, my plan to jump out of the window with her in my arms was derailed when I was clawed by the demons. I felt my own blood gush from my body, soaking my shirt, making the fabric cling to me.

Oh my God, was I going to die?

Damnit, I needed him!

"Finish him," growled one of the demons, the leader, I figured.

I blocked one swipe of their claws, but not the other that ripped into my stomach. I cried out and fell over. It was at that moment, I knew I had to Call my Champion or die. I closed my eyes and called his name in my desperation and with all of my willpower. I prayed he'd come, that he wouldn't fight my Call since I had rejected him before. I looked up to see one of the demon's feet coming down on my face. I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for the pain of my skull being crushed.

Silence.

I opened one of my eyes to see the foot an inch away from my face, but the demon seemed to be frozen. My wounds throbbed as they healed, but I was still weak from the struggle. I moved my head out of the way to see that not just that demon had been frozen, everyone appeared to be motionless.

"Looks like things got a little messy," I heard an extremely alluring, Greek-accented voice say and I turned to see him. Azazel dressed in a black suit with a red satin shirt looked too sexy for words. I hated him, I did, I swear but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was relieved to see him.

Fuck... he had a smug smile on his gorgeous face and I wanted to put a bullet between his eyes.

"You came," I said, breathing hard.

He nodded. "I came."

I was never going to be able to live this moment down.