ARCHANGELS' LEGACY BOOK III: Revenge of an Angel [completed]

Part IX

Nikaia caressed her child's smooth cheek and was rewarded with a small chuckle. The toddler had her mother's hair and her father's plump lips.

She looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to enjoy the smell of the forest around them.

"Would you like me to pick flowers for you, Eromèni?", Nemeia asked, a dryad who wanted to serve her and her child.

"No, thank you", Nikaia replied and smiled when her two-month old daughter hold her finger with her tiny hands.

"What do you want to call her?", her companion stood beside her and admire the little being on her mother's arms.

"Haven't settled on one yet", it was one of the worries she had been thinking. A name. She wanted to give her a name that will remind her daughter that half of her is an angel.

"I'm sure any name will suit her beauty".

Nemeia's comment made her grin, but it was short lived because Rhanis and two others came out of the woods, and strode to her.

"What is it?", Nikaia noticed the warriors' hurried gaits.

"You need to come with us, Nika".

She furrowed her brows but didn't move.

"We caught a demon", her friend said.

The dryad's saw the sudden change in her expression.

She turned to Nemeia and handed her daughter, "I need to go with Rhanis".

"Yes, Eromèni. I'll take care of her".

It was hard for her to leave her daughter even for just a short while but she needs to talk to the demon.

"Thank you", she then turned to Rhanis, "bring me to him".

They left and went to the far side of the forest. Tall trees with abundant leaves covered the area, only a few rays of the sun had peaked through it.

Her warriors greeted her with a bow of their heads but what caught her eyes is the man slumped on her knees in the middle with bruises on his body. His arms are tied on his back and half of his face is swollen.

She didn't ask. She was almost sorry for his appearance and knew that one of the Dryads had caused this.

"Where did you find him?", she asked Rhanis.

"He was about to do a misdeed with a human when we heard her call for help", her friend's cold tone didn't go unnotice.

"Misdeed?", she was curious as to what evil this man is capable of. She walked towards him and grabbed his hair backwards. She wanted to see his eyes. She wanted to know if he still has a soul of a human but all she could see is the black abyss of darkness. She removed her hand, disgusted at his preferred life as a demon.

"He was about to rape her", Rhanis remembered the fear on the girls' eyes when they helped her in time.

"Did she saw you?".

Supernatural beings like them are not allowed to be seen by humans. It's the course of life, but if they couldn't avoid certain circumstances such as this, they are allowed to change their form by drinking a potion. A gift given by an elf.

To demons, it's different, because they were humans before they sold their souls to the king of hell and so, they still have the body of a human being but their eyes that are black as the raven's feathers will give them away.

"She saw two old hags with canes and big baskets", the dryad answered and Nikaia's nod confirmed her approval with the choice of appearance.

"Just kill me", the demon's arrogant voice interrupted them.

"So brave, but.........not yet", she said with the same coldness as her eyes.

"What do you want from me?".

"Information".

The demon laughed sarcastically, "Do you think a demon like me, would just give you what you asked for without any bargain?".

This made Nikaia mad. She snatched Rhanis' dagger on her waist with speed, grabbed his hair on her left hand while pointing the sharp edge on his neck with her right hand.

"Is there something funny?", she said softly but with menace.

"I.....I", the demon stuttered and gulped down with nervousness as he felt his sharp object penetrates his skin and felt a small pain.

She can sense the fear in him. She never thought that a demon would feel this kind of emotion. The fear of death.

"what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?", the demon pursed his lips, not wanting to heightened her fury, "listen well, I am going to give you a chance to live, in exchange for an information".

"Nika!", Rhanis wanted to object but held her place. All of them know that demons cannot be trusted.

"I will give you my word that I will give you your freedom if I am satisfied with what you give me", she pressed the dagger and a cut had started bleeding.

"O....okay", the demon agreed.

She straightened up and stared at him, "One of our kind had been missing and we know that you, demons, are responsible for her disappearance".

"Who are you looking for?", he asked.

"A nymph with hair like mine and she was wearing a bracelet".

"Oh, the Guardian".

Every dryad around him looked at each other except Nikaia. She felt her heart race.

"Yes but how did...?".

"Did I know that she was a Guardian? Let's just say, I serve one of hell's generals and we know everything about special beings", he spoke proudly.

"Was?", she emphasized and just assumed that she heard him wrong.

"Oh, she ...... she died", he spoke with no remorse. She was just another victim of hell's monsters.

Rage consumed her and drove the dagger into the demon's neck, with it's tip protruding at his nape. His eyes widened in surprise and a black liquid oozed out of his mouth before he fell on the ground, lifeless.

Nikaia turned around, "burn the bastard's body", she ordered before walking away to hide the tears that are forming on her eyes.