8. Rai

Chapter eight

Rai

The 18th Birthday

I t was the demon again. The one I'd been dreaming about since I turned twelve years old. He was standing in front of a mirror removing his clothes. It was as if I were looking through his eyes and I couldn't help but drink in the beauty of his body as more of it was exposed to me. He was tall and muscular with fine lines and strong curves, not to mention, washboard abs. Behind him, another person stepped out, a man—no, a demon who was handsome, but not as handsome as my demon.

The other demon wrapped his arms around the first and kissed his neck. He moved to the front, kissing and sucking his way down until he undid the string of my demon's pantaloons. They came down and I wanted desperately to see his cock, but all I could see in the reflection of the mirror was the other demon's head bobbing as he sucked. The look of pure rapture on my demon's face was everything. His heavy breathing, his moans... oh, he was so close... so close...

"Ahhhh fuck!" I belted out as I quaked on the bed, my body releasing the orgasm that had built inside of me during my dream. I shook, and the waves of pleasure coursed through me until they faded away. Breathing hard, I lifted my blanket to see the wet stain of cum had ruined the fabric. I'd made a mess of myself, that was for sure. Groaning, I just lay there, thinking about the vision. It wasn't the first one I'd ever had like that. The erotic ones started to come to me when I turned sixteen. To be honest, I preferred those over the ones dealing with death and destruction.

At first, the visions were of him standing by as he watched humans slaughter themselves. Others were of him whispering how to kill someone into another human's ear. Lavish banquets he attended where he moved through the crowd, a seductive menace lending his ear and giving his advice to royals, clergy, and politicians on how to get what they wanted. I had a lot of curiosity about the demon. I wanted to know more, but I never told anyone about my erotic dreams, those were my little treasures. Besides, they wouldn't understand me anyway since they already thought I was weird. Telling the others I dreamed of how sexy I thought a demon was would only make them treat me worse.

There was one vision in particular, though. It left me reeling, catapulting through a maze of emotions I couldn't get out of. It made me conflicted. It was of my demon, lying in bed... crying. Balled up in a fetal position and crying so hard, I could feel it in his soul. I didn't think demons had souls that could feel such torment. But he did. I reached to take him into my arms, kiss him and tell him it was going to be okay. Based on his clothes and the style of his bedroom, it didn't seem like that was too long ago, maybe a century. He was so vulnerable. That dream has haunted me more than any other.

Darius knew of the visions I had of the demon when he was at war, but it wasn't like he could help me avoid them. He couldn't explain why I was still receiving visions, so he also had no advice to give other than for me not to be afraid of them. To embrace them. When I asked him about the demon in my vision, he only told me that he'd tell me one day when I was ready. Whatever the fuck that meant.

My alarm clock went off reminding me that I had training. I climbed out of bed to get ready for the grueling day ahead.

***

I charged at Darius, my sword relentless as I kept him on the defense. But then I made a mistake and he took advantage, punching me three times, knocking me to the ground. I groaned, then climbed back to my feet.

"Don't get overconfident," Darius said.

The next day after my sixteenth birthday, he'd taken over my training for the majority of my lessons. Something else that made the other Guards jealous was that I had such special attention from the Headmaster. Even other Guardians had something to say about it.

"Sorry, sir," I said, then dabbed the blood from my split lip.

"Your techniques have improved, this is good," Darius said.

I snorted. "With the way you just took me down, I can't tell, sir."

He smiled. "You will have eternity to hone your skills as long as you're smart in every battle you face. No two demons fight the same. You must be able to adapt instantly."

I nodded. "I understand."

"That is enough for today. There is something I want to show you."

We put our swords up, they were real because Darius felt like I needed to get used to fighting with steel. I followed him to a chamber that had been forbidden to me in the past. He stood in the middle of the room and allowed me to take in everything. I looked at all of the paintings on the wall, large portraits of the Guardians and their Champions. And under each portrait was the mark of the Guardian. My eyes traveled to a blank space on the wall, but next to it was a portrait of a man who I recognized instantly.

He was the demon in my dreams and after I had sobered up that night, I knew he was also the man I'd met at the club when Marcel and I had snuck out on my sixteenth birthday. I walked over to the portrait and stared up at it. He was so captivating, I felt drawn to him, even his image. In the portrait, he was looking forward as he adjusted his tie. He was wearing a black suit with a black tie and a white shirt. There was a red broach on his suit jacket and he was also wearing a black ring on his ring finger. His hair was in the same style as before, but his eyes... those hypnotic indigo eyes held me engrossed as much as his seductive expression did.

"That's the demon I've seen in my dreams. Who... who is he?"

"Your Champion."

I blinked as if breaking the spell his portrait had on me and turned to Darius. "What?"

"He is your Champion," Darius repeated.

I turned back to the portrait. "How? Why?" I looked at Darius again, waiting for him to explain.

"We aren't quite sure how a demon was chosen to be a Champion. His name is Azazel and he is the oldest and strongest of all the demon Knights of the Round Court of Hades. He is the Demon of War and is rumored to be over ten thousand years old."

My mouth dropped open at that. Holy shit, ten thousand years!

Darius continued. "On the night that he killed Guardian Jean Dubois, he was given the Angel's Kiss. For an Archangel, it's a coveted honor. A gift from God to be a warrior. For Azazel—a demon— it was a curse. He has since been cast out of Hades and unable to cause any harm to innocents. He is unwilfully on his way to redeeming his soul. But he is alone, an outcast of both his side and ours."

As he spoke, I began to understand why I was also an outcast. "Does he have to be my Champion?"

Darius nodded. "You are the last Guardian and he is the last Champion. It is both of your fates."

"Why are you just now telling me this? Is that why everyone has been so shitty toward me?" I asked.

"I'm sorry that you had to face that. Since nothing like this has ever happened in the past, some do not fully trust you. Every Champion has been paired with an Archangel of considerable gifts and powers. You have been paired with a demon. An anomaly in every sense," Darius said.

I didn't like the fact that I was being judged by something that was completely out of my control. I didn't ask to be a damn Guardian and I certainly didn't ask to be paired with a fucking demon. "So, what now? I have to endure their insults and mistrust forever?"

"You have my trust."

"Do you trust Azazel?"

"No. But that is because he is a demon. The only thing holding him back from his nature is the Angel's Kiss ," Darius said.

"When did the last Guardian die?"

"1912, and a hundred years later, you were born," Darius said. "The Guardian, Jean, was a Divine Weapon with their Champion, which, as you know, makes them stronger. But at the very moment of their ending, they gave a Death Wish, and that wish was granted by God. That is why the demon Azazel was given the Angel's Kiss. That's the how, that we know. The why is what remains the mystery."

I looked at the portrait again and under it was my birthmark. That which marked me as a Guardian. A sword. My birthmark was on my inner right forearm. "Does he have my mark?"

"He does. Your Guardian mark, he bares that on his inner right forearm."

I looked down at my own arm to see my mark there. "I don't trust him either," I said.

"There will come a time when you will have the ability to call your Champion into command."

"No," I said. I couldn't fathom working with a demon, especially one who was as evil and cruel as Azazel. So many dreams I had of him were nightmares. I felt his pleasure as he killed. He did it because it was fun. I'd been haunted by those visions... But then there were the ones that weren't scary. The ones that made me feel sorry for him, that made me want to hold him. Then there were the ones that made me want to... I didn't want to think or speak about those.

And what was Azazel doing in the club that night? Was he watching me?

"It was time to tell you the truth. You're eighteen, Rai, mature enough to be able to handle it. That is why I'm training you so that you will be able to deal with a demon as your Champion," Darius said.

I shook my head, because I hated the idea that I was linked to a demon. Why me? Everyone else got an angel as their Champion. Why did God do this to me?

"Accept this destiny, Rai. You cannot escape it. You must learn to work with Azazel if you hope to survive," Darius said. "I will teach you how."

I looked into Azazel's indigo eyes. "How did you get this portrait of him?"

"He sent a photo, as he is not allowed to enter the Guild," Darius said.

I scoffed. "He can't even come inside these walls, yet I'm expected to accept him as my Champion?"

"You have no choice."

We would see about that.

***

After the revelation, Darius allowed me to have dinner and I was standing in line when I heard my name passing through the lips of one of these petty Guards. I knew the one, too, because he'd been a pain in my ass since day one. I turned to see Andrew smirking at me.

"It's your eighteenth birthday... did you like your surprise?" Andrew asked. "Demon boy?"

"Do you like the number of teeth you have in your mouth, Asshole?" I retorted.

Andrew stepped up to me. "See, that attitude right there is why your Champion is a demon. You aren't good enough to have an Archangel, you're trash, so you get trash."

I didn't say anything, because I'd had enough of his shit. I reared my head back and slammed his face as hard as I could. It hurt, but I knew I'd hurt him more when he cried out in pain and fell to the floor, his nose bleeding.

"You broke my nose!" he yelled.

"I only gave you what you were asking for," I said.

Other Guards ran over to us, older ones who were there as security. I was taken to the Headmaster while Andrew was taken to the healing infirmary. I sat in the chair and stared past Darius as he looked at me.

"That temper of yours again, Rai?" he asked.

I huffed and looked at him. "Tell me something. Why is it that I've had to deal with those assholes fucking with me since I walked through these doors? If you can't control them, I will," I snapped.

Darius smirked then and I blinked, because he rarely did things like that. "I was aware of their bullying of you, Rai."

"And you did nothing to stop it?"

"No, I didn't. Because I wanted to see how you'd handle adversity. If you'd be able to negotiate finesse with hostile forces. Or would you behave like a bull in a China shop, destroying everything and everyone," Darius said.

I rolled my eyes then. "I guess I failed your tests."

"Not necessarily," he said.

I looked at him. "Meaning?"

"I think I'm finally understanding why Azazel is your Champion."

"Cause I'm evil?" I asked with a sarcastic tone. Mainly because it was a question that was buried in the back of my mind for years. I often wondered why I'd been teased. Their little innuendos about me and my Champion. And then I came to discover it was a demon. There must be something wrong with me.

Darius sighed, then rose and walked around his desk. "Follow me."

I did and he led us out to the garden. One of my favorite places to be. It was so beautiful and peaceful with all of the flowers, plants, animals, and the water fountains. I'd taken many naps in this place, because I loved it so much. We took a seat on a bench and Darius stretched his long legs out before him, then crossed them at the ankles. I decided to do the same.

"Look around you, Rai," he said.

I did and saw nothing but natural beauty.

"Tell me, what do you see?"

"Nature in its sheer magnificence," I said.

He nodded. "Evil can't see that. It only sees this as something to destroy. It doesn't know how to be humble in the presence of God's gifts." He looked at me now. "You're not evil, Rai."

"Then why am I linked to a demon?" I asked, because I was really confused.

"Perhaps, it's not all about you."

"But he's my Champion."

"You're his Guardian. Maybe God's plan is for you to help him redeem his soul. You've been given the most difficult task of any Guardian, Rai. And maybe you're the only one of us who can do this. It's true, you're not like other Guardians. I don't think you ever were. You've been labeled a troublemaker, a menace, and unruly for so long. Yet, you've overcome such negativity and still held true to yourself."

I looked down at my hands, I was playing with my own fingers. "And what am I?"

Darius chuckled. "A hellraiser who I'm sure will be able to handle a demon. Don't be intimidated by Azazel. Right now, he's still lost and trying to find his way."

"I don't think I can accept him, sir," I said, being honest with myself. Although, I did like him calling me a hellraiser.

Darius patted my thigh. "This is when you must put your faith in your fate." He rose and looked down at me. "In the meantime, you will not have to be bullied by those boys any longer. I've seen what I needed to see. But your training will be even more extensive. Enjoy the rest of this day because tomorrow, I'm not going to show you any mercy."

I watched Darius walk away and I should have felt relief after our conversation, but all I was thinking about was just how hellish my training was about to get.

Shit.