My Angel Girl

Yumi had seen the worst of Hell, but it still caught her off guard every now and then. The streets were littered with trash, bones, and the remnants of souls too stupid to make it out of their deals. Yumi, being a demon herself, wasn't usually scared of much. She could hold her own in most situations, but today was different. She could feel the weight of the air shift as a group of demons stepped out from the shadows, surrounding her.

They weren't the average scumbags you'd find in Hell, either. These demons were much worse—gang members, soul traffickers, the kind of creatures that fed off the weak. Their eyes glinted with malicious intent, and their aura was like a suffocating cloud. Yumi knew the moment she saw them that this was no ordinary encounter.

"Hey, pretty thing," one of them sneered, his lips curling into a sick grin. "You've got something we want."

Yumi instinctively took a step back. She wasn't a weakling, but against these demons, she was no match. She had fought plenty of battles, but this was a different kind of war. The gang leader stepped forward, his claws sharpening as he pointed directly at her.

"You're going to give us your soul," he demanded, "Or we'll take it in a way you won't enjoy."

Yumi's heart raced, her mind racing through all her options. She could fight, but she wasn't stupid. She wasn't strong enough to take on four demons at once, especially ones who could easily rip her apart. She knew what was coming—the same thing that happened to countless others in this twisted world. It wasn't a *choice* to them; it was a transaction.

"Just sign the damn contract," the gang leader continued. "You'll be fine. We'll let you keep your body... for now."

The fear gnawed at her insides, but she wasn't about to let them win. Her hands trembled as she reached for the demonic contract they were offering her. She didn't want to do it, but she didn't have a choice. Her life, her soul—it wasn't worth losing it to these assholes.

Just as her fingers brushed the contract, she heard a sharp noise—like the wind picking up too fast.

And then...

**Squelch.**

Before Yumi could even process what had happened, the gang members dropped to the ground, their bodies convulsing violently. It was as though something—or someone—had torn through them from the inside out. Blood and entrails spilled onto the ground, staining the pavement as the demons writhed in pain. The leader let out one final scream before his body crumpled into a heap, lifeless.

Yumi blinked, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't expected this. She had expected to be dragged into another soul-stealing contract, to be forced into an awful deal with no escape. But instead...

"What the hell just happened?" Yumi whispered to herself.

A figure stepped out from the shadows, moving too fast for Yumi to track with her eyes. She barely had time to react before a sharp voice cut through the silence.

"You're lucky I got here in time."

The figure emerged into the light. It was a tall, imposing demon, draped in dark robes, his eyes glowing an ominous shade of red. The aura around him was intense—an overwhelming power that even made Yumi take a step back. His hair was black, and his face was sharp, almost regal in its intensity.

"Who... who the hell are you?" Yumi asked, her voice shaky but defiant.

The demon smirked, his eyes locking onto hers. "Just someone who doesn't like to see *weaklings* picking on someone they know they can't handle."

Yumi's heart skipped a beat. "You—You killed them. You killed all of them, just like that?"

The demon shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't kill them. I just made sure they couldn't hurt you. They got what was coming to them."

Yumi's mind raced. She hadn't seen anything like that before. The way he moved, the way he seemed to control the very air around him... this wasn't your average demon. He wasn't just strong; he was *dangerous*.

"Who are you?" she repeated, her voice quieter now.

The demon's grin widened, revealing a set of sharp teeth. "That's for me to know and you to find out. But for now..." He looked at her, his gaze softening for just a moment. "I think you should be more careful about who you trust. Hell's a lot more dangerous than you think."

Yumi's heart was still pounding, but now it was out of fear *and* something else—curiosity. Who was this demon? And why had he saved her?

"I don't need any more debt," Yumi muttered, though she was still on edge. "So if you're gonna try to make me owe you something, forget it."

The demon chuckled, shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I don't need anything from you. Not yet, anyway. Consider it a... favor."

Before Yumi could say anything else, he turned and started walking away, vanishing into the shadows with a speed that almost left her breathless.

"Wait!" Yumi called after him. "Who are you? What's your name?"

But there was no answer. Only the sound of the wind, and the distant howls of Hell's denizens.

Yumi stood there, staring at the spot where the mysterious demon had disappeared. The gang, now lifeless and discarded on the pavement, was a grim reminder of how easy it was to slip into something worse in Hell.

And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play here.

For now, though, she had survived—thanks to someone she didn't even know. A demon, but one she couldn't help but feel *grateful* toward.

End of Chapter 8