Predator

23.

"So you have put the humans life into danger?" Egin asked while intently staring at Ryan, he was soaking up every truthful word that was spoke from Ryan's lips. "Yes, but I was not conscious doing it."

The Soptic's had to have been at Egin's castle for about five hours now and Ryan still had yet to falter under his gaze. He managed to conserve his energy well. However, he was only weak in one aspect and that was in attempting to say her name.

"Tell me about yours and... Neela's relationship," Egin always paused before slowly speaking Neela's name so freely. "Well, when she came to me, she was 16. There was not much of a relationship until she reached peaked age to find a mate." Egin made a motion with his cold, dead hand that signaled Ryan to keep going, despite that fact. "I believe she was afraid of males before she and I met but my father and I helped her overcome it. She was more bashful than I, she had forgiven every and anything that I had done to her. I helped her through depressive episodes, I talked to her and spent time with her, same with the rest of my family. She's a great girl."

The description of Ryan and Neela's relationship felt sincere to Egin. He would know of sincere love stories, same with Damien. "Why have you never rejected her? You know how the relationships of demon and mortal end. Your father and I would know this. You know how Damien and Rin's love ended, why would you make the same mistakes? Now, your eldest brothers are smart, they rejected their mates whom were both human." The lord of demons, this case was Egin, would always be given the power of knowing everything about his citizens. He knew their whole life stories just by looking at someone. All lords always had more powers than their citizens during their reign, then after their reign, those powers would be taken away.

"I love her too much, we've been through a lot as housemates and as mates. Also, much of my family has foreseen her becoming like me, not because of being injured or close to death, but because of a choice we both wanted."

~~

Demons are capable of possessing any life force. While most demons would possess for the sole purpose of destruction and carnage, others have reasons that are all-pure to possess.

Neela had been given a new book about demons to read up on. On days when Damien wasn't available is when she would read. She would always read in her lonesome white room, it was peaceful. The guards did full room checks, she was amazed at how they still didn't notice her little collection.

~~

"Neela?" The small, sick voice sounded so familiar to Neela's ears. She let one eye make a slit to see and was met with bright, blue eyes. "Austin?"

"Why aren't you with Ryan?" Austin's voice sounded quick and concerned which confused Neela. Austin had always wanted Neela away from Ryan, why is it so important that she been with him during that time? "It's a really confusing situation, Austin. Even I don't fully know why."

"He's not a bad man anymore!" Austin hopped up and down in urgency which made Neela shoot up in the hospital bed, she didn't want anyone else to hear or see Austin. "I saw him! He's trying to save you! He loves you!"

Austin was still inconsistently yelling so Neela just picked him up and set him beside her on the small bed. "I don't think he loves me anymore," Neela sighed as she looked into Austin's eyes.

His eyes grew concerned while he shook his head, his dark locks moving freely. "No! He loves you so much! You need to be buried next to him!"

Honestly? Neela was wary about being next to Ryan after he just sent her away. If they ever were to reunite once again, what would she say to him? What would he say to her is the better question. No amounts of apologies from any member of the family could make up for what they did. It felt like she was betrayed.

"Can we go to sleep?" Austin's whole personality switched. Just five seconds ago, he was rowdy and loud. Then he was rubbing his eyes and yawning. Neela's eyes wandered to the small window that was next to her bed and there wasn't even a hint of a ray of sun.

~~

"Would you like to see your mate?" Egin was going on his tenth hour and Ryan's energy was slowly beginning to fail him. He asked for a chair at the start of the sixth hour but that did close to nothing but take some pressure off of his burning feet.

"More than anything," Ryan was leaning his elbows on his knees, his head rested in his hands while Egin was still filled to the brim with energy.

Egin couldn't yet figure out if Ryan was evil. There were many good and truthful points that Ryan gave but they were inconsistent because of his memory loss during the attacks. Damien was speaking to himself that he could be a way better lord than Egin.

"I'll see you all back in two earthly sunrises," Egin quickly transported away after he gathered all the evidence and testimonies needed that day. Once he left, though, Ryan fell out of his seat. It was like only Egin was serving him those last bits of energy so he could get what he wanted.

On the car journey back to the home, Ryan kept trying to talk to Neela.

You're not real.

I am real, angel. Did something happen? Was it a bad dream? I've been having those as well.

This always happens. You show up in a dream and you're gone the next day. I hate this, just go away.

Can't I at least tell you about the first day of court?

It hurts. My whole body is hurting and it's too much work to get out of bed.

Just lie down, you can go to sleep to my voice. I'm real.