Belle's POV
"What's in your mind now?" I asked. Reign is fixing my bed now. She said that she doesn't need to sleep this time though her actions show otherwise. But I am not going to force her to sleep because she also looks like she’s thinking a lot right now and probably don’t want to be disturbed.
"I just have to go back there," she said.
"The graveyard? Did you leave something?"
"Just some business to do. Something to fix.” She looked guilty. “You should be fine here. Angels will not find you here."
I nodded. "You'll be back immediately, right?" Does she feel bad about Joanna?
"Of course." She forced a smile. "Here, your bed is fixed. Five layers of bed sheets should be fine, right?"
"Let's just hope there are no bed bugs in there or something."
She started walking towards me. "I'll be back in an hour or two."
I nodded.
She landed a kiss on my forehead then finally turned into smoke.
I sat on the bed. It's still early to fall asleep but there's really nothing much to do. I let my eyes wander to examine the room I’m in. Unlike Reign’s room in that demon apartment, this one looks much livelier. The bed has four posters and an emerald fabric the rest on top. On the posters, there is a fabric that ties around it, if untied, it should act as a curtain. There’s a closet on the side. I stood in front of it to check what was inside. It’s just full of Reign’s clothes.
Nothing else is up here so I went down to the living room or rather, the ritual room to study the whole place. I managed to get my hands to an old book laying on top of Reign’s altar. It has a sigil on the cover that is definitely not Reign’s. The leather cover was worn and dusty but it didn't stop me from opening the book. The pages are so thin and fragile that every turn requires extra care. The words are in penmanship which is quite difficult for me to read but I'm sure that it's English.
I returned the book to its place and went ahead to study the altars around me. There are three different altars and each seems to represent different entities but Reign's is different. This is more like her desk rather than an altar. It's personalized maybe because she's half-human and half-demon? Rotten strawberries, silver accessories, a tarot deck, a photograph of her and another girl who I'm guessing was Felicia, and other personal objects.
I went next to the kitchen of the old house. Reign placed all of our foods on top of the table but they're all still inside the bag. I opened the cabinets to see different herbs and old can goods. I took one can and searched for the expiry date.
March 8, 1964
December 10, 1953
July 17, 1976
February 1, 1998
June 6, 2006
August 13, 2010
Hmmm, Reign did say that she stays here whenever she wants to go underground, maybe that's why there are recent can goods here. The latest I saw was from 2015. It's been a while since she's been here, huh? I took one can of goods from the one that we brought and placed it in along with her other can of goods. Just in case she needs to go underground again and has nothing to eat. I placed two more there.
My stomach started growling too. So I sat on one of the old chairs and took out food from the ones that we bought. I chose to eat the bread. My eyes also studied the kitchen. It seems like it’s been a while since someone actually cooked in here. There are dried herbs hanging on top of the countertops, the kitchen utensils have cobwebs in them, the pots are rusty, and the countertop itself is dusty. I guess I should clean around.
I'm just minding my own business when I suddenly hear something from the living room. I froze in my seat. What was that? Has Reign returned? Impossible, it's too quick. I anxiously got up from my seat and tried to get a glimpse of the living room by craning my neck a little through the entrance of the kitchen. I see no one. Maybe I'm just hearing things? Still with bread on hand, I decided to return to my seat.
"Who are you?" A voice shocked me. The figure appeared out of nowhere. There was not even smoke like Reign’s whenever she teleported. Is this not a demon?
I hit my back on the wall as I tried to get away from him.
"I said, who are you?" He asked angrily.
I closed my eyes. I don't want to see the face. He's scary. I think I saw bumps on his temples as if forming into horns.
He held my wrist and tightened it to keep my blood flowing from my hand. "ANSWER ME!" He shouted.
"B-Belle. I'm with…" Can I say her name?
I could feel him closing his face to mine. He sniffed. "Reign."
I opened my eyes. "You know her?"
"Of course, I know her." His figure suddenly changed. He started becoming more human. "We're...friends." He smiled sheepishly. “Her scent is particularly unique too. Mint. It’s attached to you.”
"Really?" Reign didn't mention anything about a friend. "You're a demon too?"
He nodded. He finally let go of my hand. The part he held turned pale. The same way when Reign first touched me.
"Where is she?"
"Uhmm, she'll be back." I kept the details to myself. I don't know who this guy is and I'm sure I couldn't trust him.
"You know, everyone's looking for her."
My brows wrinkled, "why?"
He smiled, "she stole the Holy Soul."
My heart started skipping a beat. "S-she didn't kidnap me."
"That's not what the angels said."
I moved away from him and stood beside Reign's altar. "What do you mean?"
"Just as I said, the angels said that you were kidnapped by a half-demon, Reign. She was tampering with your head, they said. She's manipulating you to come with her."
I shook my head. "Obviously, that is not the case. I could just run away whenever I want since she's not around but I'm here. I'm staying and I am not forced to do so." I tried searching the altar for some matches. There's a little wick on what's left on the candle, I hope it still works to summon Reign; the sigil is up there still, after all. I remember her telling me that this is her sigil and it will not harm her if I use it to summon her.
"You know, a relationship between a human and a demon is forbidden, right? I'm sure that Reign is fully aware of our rules because after all, she wanted to stay alive."
"She's still human."
He shook his head. "If she chooses to feel human then she should die right now. Didn't she choose to be a demon to stay alive?"
I searched the other altar. Finally, I saw a box of matches on the altar next to Reign's. I secretly took it from there while the demon in front of us was busy examining the space.
"I wonder how you managed to sway her. She's never easily tempted. Not right after she realizes the consequences of her own wish. What's up with you?" He placed a finger on his chin as he started thinking. "What is Reign's use with the Holy Soul? Love? Ugh, too human. I doubt that. But maybe? You persuaded her with love? You are that powerful?"
"Get out before it's too late."
"Too late? I'm a full-fledged demon. I'm not afraid of anything."
I lit the match in front of him.
"Oh, you're planning to summon her? Go on. We need to talk anyway."
I lit the candle and called her name. "Reign." The demon just stared at me as we both waited for something to happen. Nothing? Nothing happened? Did I do it wrong? Where is that book I was reading earlier? Maybe I needed to chant something or add to the candle?
"Maybe the altar is too old?" The full-fledged demon wondered.
A sudden gush of air entered the space through the broken windows. A figure finally appeared beside me.
"That's a sensation I haven't felt in years. What are you playing with this time?" Reign looked at me.
I pointed towards our front.
Her head turned to the front. Her expression changed as if someone just sucked the air out of her. She took a step back.
The demon in front of us clapped. "Who knew you're that easy to call?"
"Su-superior."
Superior? I gasped. This...this is the demon that Reign is working for?
"Have you forgotten that you're a demon? Should I remind you?" He snapped his fingers and immediately, Reign was on the floor gasping for air.
"Reign!" I lowered myself to her and tried to help her.
"Your human body is sick, remember? What keeps you alive in me. I made you into a demon. I'm the one sustaining strength for your body. How dare you disobey me?" He snapped his fingers once more and Reign was finally able to catch her breath.
"I'm not disobeying anyone," Reign coughed.
"Really? It seems to me you've forgotten our rule. Never get attached to a human."
"Felicia was a human. You didn't bother."
"She's a witch! It is normal for us to work with them! This one right here, is a human. And not just any human, the Holy Soul! The angels are everywhere looking for her. They sent a messenger to tell us about you." He pointed at Reign. "They said you kidnapped their Holy Soul."
"I didn't."
"As if that even matters. You've got to return her."
I shook my head. "No! I don't want to go back."
He crossed his fingers together. "Holy Soul, I'm trying to talk to you as calmly as I can. Make this easier for all of us. Will you?"
I tightened my grip on Reign's arm.
He rolled his eyes. "Reign, what happens if you attach yourself to a human? If you let yourself feel human? If you let yourself fall in love with a human? Do you remember? Didn't Jasmine teach you those? Huh? Let's have a recap. Demonology 101. Let's see if you still remember. What happens?"
I waited for Reign's answer but she remained silent.
"You don't remember? Well, here's a reminder. One, breaching contracts will cause you twice or trice the amount you paid the first time. Second, you deliver payments to me so I will keep you alive. Third, attaching yourself to a non-witch human will have a punishment, and lastly, making yourself feel like a human will cost you your life: falling in love is a human thing, being kind is a human thing, feeling any feelings is a human thing. Remember now? Those are just the basics. But you get the point, right?"
"Reign?" I called her name. "Is that true?"
"All these years, everyone calls me a half-human and half-demon. All these years they said that I'm too human to become a demon. All these years they said I'm too weak to become a demon. All these years, I'm too human for everything. But now, suddenly, I'm too demon to fall in love with a human?" She forced a laugh. "Suddenly, I'm a demon now?”
"It's because of how you chose to live. Remember the purpose of your wish, Reign. Why did you become one of us?”
Reign only glared at him.
“The angels are outside. Hand her to them before it's too late. Their actions are beyond my control." The Superior finally left.
Reign helped herself to stand up. She clenched her fist and hit her heart. "Suddenly, I could feel my heart and lungs." She tried to joke.
"You know these? All of these? The rules? Is that why you were running away?" It all makes sense now. I will really be the death of her.
She clenched her jaw. "Don't think about that."Limping, she headed towards the staircase.
"I think we need to talk about this. This is your life at stake."
"My life is always at stake. Nothing is different."
I shook my head. "No. I am going to be the reason why you could die anytime. This is not what I want for you."
"What? You can head out now. There are angels out there waiting."
"That's not what I meant. Reign, what are you thinking? Is...is this why you want to erase my memories so that it'll be easier for me when you're gone? Is this why you want to get away from me because you're scared to die because of that stupid rule?”
“Stop.”
“But we're here now. So what? You just accepted the fact that you will die sooner than you wished? It's that easy for you?"
"If it means being able to be with you even for the shortest while that I could, yes! I know the rules. Yes, at first I wanted to run away because I was scared of dying. But now I'm ready. I'm okay with it. As long as I could spend my last moments with you. Memories to keep. I accept that." Reign's eyes started tearing up. "All these years, all I wanted was to have a reason to finally accept it all. I know for myself that I can't keep living like this. I know at one point I should just accept death. But I don't want to end it just like that. I want more and you promised me that. I know, I wouldn't be able to fulfill that fifty or sixty years or more but at least I was able to feel it even for just a short while."
"Then what about me? You know all of these but I don't. You'll leave me just like that?"
"Your memories will be erased by angels one way or another."
"And that's okay? Then I don't mean anything to you then. I feel used! What difference do you make from those angels?”
She grimaced as if I just stabbed her in the chest.
“When did you even decide on all of these?"
"I love you and I'm willing to give up anything for you.”
“Not like this.”
“Belle, I won't reincarnate like you. This is all I have. I have no soul. This, this thing. Our thing. I am not going to remember it when I die. But at least I'll get to live it. You'll get to live it even if you forget it. Even if they erase your memories. At least you had this little moment. We had this little moment. For me, that's what matters."
"...you...won't reincarnate?"
She shook her head. "I am this. This is it. I lost this body and that's it."
I slowly walked my way toward her. "But...I thought maybe…"
She placed her hand on my cheek. "I'm sorry to keep this from you. But I don't want you to be aware of it. I just want you to enjoy all of these without thinking of the end." She lowered her forehead to mine. "You reincarnate. You get to live another life. You won't remember me in those lives but at least when you are in your true form as the Holy Soul, you get to keep these memories that we both had. Keep them for me. That's good, right? At least you could relive them in your memories."
I nodded. I forced a laugh. "Why is this so hard?"
She forced a smile. "That's just how things work."
I wrapped my arms around her. This...this is all I have. I will cherish it as much as I can.
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