The Demon Within

Chapter Fourteen

Kalik watched as Mei as rounded up the demons and mounted her horse. She looked back over her shoulder and he glared at her. It was humiliating losing to her; for one, she was a girl. And two, she was a bloody demon. Mei gave one last look over her shoulder before closing her eyes and facing forward. Kalik watched as they left and immediately cursed himself. How could he let her get away so easily? He had a chance for revenge and blew it.

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing her very soon," Takashi said grimly.

"I know," Kalik grumbled as he picked up his sword and roughly shoved it back into it's sheath. "It's just the fact she keeps slipping through my fingers that's pissing me off."

"It's understandable," Kaito said. "All of us want to capture her. Kalik, you knew it wasn't going to be easy. She's a Pureblood after all."

"Damn Purebloods," Takashi said as he clenched his fists together. A sound of distaste rumbled in his throat. "They make the rest of us look like idiots with swords. Why are they still around anyway?"

"A question you don't know the answer too." They spun around as they saw Soushi coming through the crowd of the clan and Kalik immediately averted his eyes. He had disobeyed Soushi's orders and had taken Mei head on, only to lose her yet again. Kalik eyed Soushi from the corner of his eye, and saw the fury in his eyes. "I believe I strictly ordered you to not engage Mei in battle! We were supposed to talk to her about a negotiation! You let your anger get the better you Kalik! What are we supposed to do now she is gone? She is extremely difficult to track!"

"We'll find her again! She'll show up if there's a demon involved," Kalik retorted as he snorted.

"So now we have to go capture a demon, is that what you're saying?" Soushi asked angrily. Kalik flinched back at the venom in Soushi's voice.

"I'm sure there is other ways," Kalik said quietly. Soushi glared darkly at Kalik for a moment, and then he heaved a sigh. He looked at Kalik more gently now, but there was still a hint of fury behind his calm eyes.

"Kalik, I know you are frustrated. I am too. But the only way we will get Mei to cooperate is to negotiate something! She has no more interest in human things; her concern is focused on the demons. Taking Mei on was a foolish act. She could've killed you Kalik and you know it." Kalik looked away from Soushi, knowing what he said was true. Why Mei didn't actually kill him, he didn't know. It puzzled him she left him alive, when she easily had the advantage over him when she punched him in the face. Maybe she's toying with me. Making me look weak and pathetic in front of everyone, Kalik thought bitterly.

"Captain, Mei was the one who proposed the one-on-one battle with Kalik," Takashi spoke up as Kalik remained silent. "It seems she didn't want to stay here longer than she needed to so she picked the easy way out."

"Kalik didn't have to agree to it though," Soushi told Takashi. "I don't know why, but Mei is avoiding fighting with samurai. Reports have been said she will mercilessly kill elites, but only knock out the samurai."

"What's your point? Just because she doesn't kill samurai doesn't mean she's doing anything else good," Kalas asked angrily.

"My point is, is that something is bothering her enough to convince her to leave us alone."

"Probably because we have the Demon Sword we took from her months ago. She knows we can kill her with it," Kaito said with a devilish smirk on his face.

"Who knows. In any case, she doesn't want to fight us seriously. Negotiation is the only way to get what we need out of Mei." The sound of horses interrupted their conversation, and Kalik looked up to see the captain of the Yura Clan, Heisuke, heading directly towards them. Heisuke dismounted and came over to Soushi.