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A demon stroked girl's hair with an unbecoming gentleness and her body slumped down like an open bag of potatoes, with about as much life left in her too. All that chirpy energy snuffed out like an afterthought. That's what they did. The demons. It was beyond obvious, even if one wasn't exposed to continuous preaching about it. There was no way to miss it either – figure carried massive horns on his hooded head. She was the fool to approach one. Trust him.

I could not help but snort in my amusement. He had to have known I was already here anyway and I was not going to miss out on my last remaining laugh. There's not been many occasions for that before. Even before these creatures flooded the world. I almost want to say it was an improvement, but was too tired for spite.

Figure didn't look up or look around. "I did not expect another happy fool," a scratchy boom carried well from afar. Too well. I shouldn't have heard it. Definitely didn't when the odd pair sauntered in chattering amongst themselves. It was distinctly inhuman cadence. "Or are you gleeful psychopath about to offer me a job?"

As I was too tired to shout, muttered to mostly to myself, "Why, you short on cash or something?" Me too, buddy. I wouldn't be here if I had had any to spare. Who knew, money made two worlds spin.

I probably shouldn't have been surprised, but he'd heard me again. "Are you really trying to bribe me?" all-too-low rumble made me shudder with cold.

Was his own dumb idea, but who was I to argue with ancient evil? Patted myself over, winced and spoke out loud with actual intention to be heard, "Sorry, my wallet must be in some other pants." Which was true, in a sense. I was alright with my hands and my fingers would stick to things if there was a chance. "Do you take cheques?" Or I could definitely do an IOU. Especially since I wouldn't be expected to pay anything back in my short remaining life. Hell, maybe he was even serious? I could definitely sic this preternatural evil upon a few people. Highly doubtful, as that would mean my luck wasn't completely rotten.

"I don't much care for your overvalued paper," he'd eventually spoken and I pinned distaste on the bland tone for my own state of mind.

"Hey they're usually like... fabric or even plastic," I came to an unexpected defence of our financial institution. Hell, not even I cared about this.

But fair point. What did the horrors use as a currency? I looked at the untouched corpse at his feet. Which was weird in itself – weren't the beasts supposed to devour their prey? Come to think of it, wasn't it strange to find one that was talking too?

Instead of taking the bait as a normal human being - which of course he wasn't – the demon seemed to have grown tired of the exchange entirely. The deep reverberating rumble chilled me more than the stone I was lounging on as he decreed, "You reek of death so you're capable of seeing to your affairs."

I shuddered for a slew of reasons. He'd just leave me here. "Do you uh... want a soul? As a... payment."

He moved for the first time since we've spoken, just to cross arms at his chest and look extra smug with his horned head finally turning as though for my benefit. Because the gesture certainly wasn't innate to a foreign entity who moved just to get from point A to B, and to whom utter stillness appeared to be his default state of being.

But perhaps it wasn't smugness he was attempting to convey, I realised when the creature's voice shook my organs so violently I almost retched them. I might have, if the teeth weren't clenching so hard I started tasting iron. "I can just take whatever I want from you, human," he decreed without leaving a single doubt.

My eyes watered and I swiped at a runny nose... which was of course dripping red snot. Outstanding. "No need to shout, my hearing isn't going just yet. Wasn't, anyway..."

Mad God's Love [Dark, enemies-to-lovers BL]Where stories live. Discover now