Up on the grassy plateau Rayne stared at me his arms folded against his chest. This was one of the few times I had given him a direct order. Rayne wanted to kill a pack of werewolves and I had stopped him. He was my responsibility and I would have to install a bit of good old fashioned human morality. Killing was definitely no-no.
It had been a long night, and I was longing for my bed and a warm house. I could argue with Rayne in the morning. Approaching Rayne I looked up wearily and said, "Can we go home? I'm cold and tired."
Rayne heaved an irritated sigh and lifted me carefully off the ground. Closing my eyes he flew high above the tree to the wooden shack that I called home. Landing in my front garden he carefully put me down and we both trod inside. The evening had been long and eventful with vampires, demons and werewolves. Crawling into bed, Rayne laid next to me. I was so tired I didn't even bother building the make shift barrier I usually did to keep Rayne from snuggling close. Closing my eyes I drifted into a heavy sleep.
The strange girl Mia did not invade my dreams tonight. Instead I dreamt of a girl crying in dark room. All around her lay clumps of hairs that had fallen out of her scalp. Just as I reach out to touch her, Rayne gave me a sharp poke. My eyes flew open and he is leaning over me.
"I smell troll." He said.
Rubbing my eyes I looked at my watch. It was late morning and the autumn sun was beaming. Outside Greg had arrived with his friend Kai, they had brought a large black beaten up old van covered in dents and scratches. Throwing Rayne out the room, I quickly got dressed in an old pair of dungarees and a white t-shirt that I only wore for jobs like gardening and decorating. Flying downstairs I saw Rayne standing awkwardly against the counter staring at a tall blonde guy while Greg stood in the corner smiling nervously. Catching my eye Greg beamed and came towards me arms outstretched. A loud bang echoed throughout the kitchen as Rayne slammed his fist against the wooden counter. Greg playfully smiled, "Sorry I forgot, no touching."
"Just ignore Rayne. He's in a bad mood." I said waving at Greg.
"Your home is cool, I love the décor, is that deer head real-" As Greg babbled the blonde man behind him gave a sharp cough. Greg clapped is hand to his forehead, "Sorry Kai," he said. "Skyler this is Kai."
"Hello." I smiled nervously. Socialising was a skill I had never mastered.
"Hey." Kai said bluntly.
Greg opened his mouth to talk again but Rayne said loudly, "Shall we just get on with this?"
Rayne grabbed several boxes and noisily stalked off to the van. Kai shrugged and followed Rayne picking up a few boxes and going outside. Greg watched them leave and then darted over to me wrapping his arms around me and giving me a big hug. The hug was warm and friendly and I stood there like a plank of wood unsure how to react. Gingerly I patted Greg on the shoulder. Greg quickly jumped back as Rayne and Kai silently walked back in and picked up some more boxes. When they left Greg turned to me and whispered loudly, "I hate being so uptight around people when I'm so happy to see you! How was your night? Rayne looked like his was about to have kittens when I left you."
"He hasn't really spoken to me." I replied keeping my voice low.
"He didn't look to happy a few seconds ago." Greg sighed.
"What are we talking about?" A voice whispered behind Greg and I. Turning I saw Loki leaning towards us listening in on our hushed conversation.
Greg jumped out of his skin and pushed me back behind him. Loki smiled pleasantly and picked up a cardboard box, "I thought I would help you move." He said.
"Do you know this guy?" Greg asked shakily.
"We met last night. He's Rayne boyfriend." I said flatly feeling a tad bitter.
Loki laughed, "Skyler, Skyler, Skyler, my feelings towards Rayne are affectionate but not romantic. We go a long way back and have had many enjoyable wars between our Kingdoms, my personal favourite being the Battle of Grimshank in the War of Noctune. But I shan't bore a young girl with tales of grizzly murder. Now Skyler please introduce me to this scallywag." He looked at Greg who seemed to be backing slowly away.
"This is Greg- who I also met last night."
"Greg, now let me guess a half breed troll with a pinch of siren, how charming. I am Loki a Prince of Hell but don't let that intimidate you I am a very well mannered demon." Loki said.
Greg nodded and muttered something about helping the others and scampered off. Loki watched him run off before diverting his attention back to me. "I know Christmas is a few months away but I want to give you this." He said handing me a sealed envelope addressed in silver writing, 'To Miss Skyler and servant'
"I suppose the servant means Rayne." I said.
"Indeed. It is an invitation to my little Yuletide Ball that I hold in my castle every year."
Raising an eyebrow I asked, "You celebrate Christmas?"
"Why not? Everyone does nowadays, religious and non-religious alike."
"I guess although it seems a little ironic, you being a demon and all."
"Demon is a job status. We are not the damned we are merely prison guards of the damned."
"Where is your castle?"
"It resides in Hell, but for these occasions I move it up to a little place in Bulgaria that it quite pretty, especially in the winter."
"Bulgaria is the other side of the world and I don't even have a passport or enough money for a flight."
"Nonsense, you can borrow my carriage, it's much faster then a plane."
"I don't know," I said unsure, "Ask Rayne."
"He already said yes." Loki smiled.
Something smelt fishy but I didn't want to say no to a powerful demon. Clutching the letter I forced a smile and said, "We would be delighted."
Loki beamed back clapping his hand on my shoulder, "That's my girl." He smiled.
Greg, Kai and Rayne walked back into the room. Rayne stared at me, "Who were you talking to?" he asked.
"Loki-" I turned but Loki had vanished.
Rayne eyes glazed over and he picked up another box and marched it out to the van. Greg and Kai exchanged puzzled looks and carried on.
I locked the house up and handed the keys to a smiley estate agent. Kai and Greg had drove ahead in the van with all my worldly possessions init while Rayne and I had stayed behind. We would follow in Grandma's beat up old car. Signing a few papers the estate agent left and with a heavy heart I said goodbye. Rayne waited for me sitting on the bonnet of the car.
"Goodbye house." I murmured blinking away the tears.
YOU ARE READING
Dark Black Magic
ParanormalRaised by her witch Grandmother deep in the forest, Skyler has lived a friendless life of isolation and magic. Her fortunes change when she accidentally binds herself to the powerful demon known as Rayne. This former Prince of Hell is inexplicably...
