The Shadows Within

What the heck did this monster say?! I must’ve misheard. Surely, it can’t have been a bride.

“Excuse me?” I mumbled, raising my eyebrows and biting my lower lip.

“I’m sure your hearing is just peachy, sweetheart.” Finn huffed, not moving from where he was.

“My lord, you’re assuming. This human might be defective.” The female wolf scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Her tone made my eyes twitch.

“No, I can see the anger in the human’s face, Brie. She obviously understood what I said.” He shifted his gaze towards the grey-haired wolf.

“Hey! Don’t talk like I’m not here!” I growled, standing up from the floor.

My words caused the demon lord to snicker while the wolf girl scowled at me.

“My king, should I rip her tongue out? She lacks the respect needed to address you.” She growled, taking a step towards me.

Her clothes were much like a nimble knight, and by her belt, she had a blade inside its sheath. The lighting didn’t let me see much else.

He shrugged before shaking his head. “No, you know I need her whole and sound. Though, I’m starting to doubt the second one. She seems a little dumb.”

“Fuck you!” I snapped, glaring at the demon, who smirked.

“So, you did hear me before. You’ll give it to me, right?” Finn turned around the question, making my eyes twitch.

This man wouldn’t get a single thing he wanted.

No one will.

“Oh, sure! I’d love to marry you!” I huffed, glaring at the demon.

“See, Brie, the human might have a brain after all.” He sighed, turning to his follower.

A smirk formed on my lips, “Monster, I wasn’t done. I’ll marry you right after you grow a pair of balls, pubescent demon. Fuck off and get hitched! I’ll never marry you or anyone!”

I stuck my tongue out at him, flipping the middle finger like I had won something.

“What?!” he snapped, getting flared up as well.

His body gave off the same red hue again. He wasn’t a man to mess with, but I couldn’t help myself. The fact he wanted something from me irritated me. However, I had to be wary of this one. Pain wasn’t something I looked forward to, and that aura coming from him was deadly.

It burned that man from touching it.

What was his name? Soren? A saint's companion… Huh… I wonder how Evelyn’s right now. Probably better than me. She knows how to snake herself around.

A weird dark portal opened from nowhere, allowing an owl-man thing to walk out of it. He had white feathers covering his body, wearing black robes and deep red eyes. His beak was red, too.

“M’lord, I didn’t want to interrupt. But I caution you to remember.” His tone carried differently from any of the others.

If it was the years the owl had on him or something else, I didn’t know, but I did feel like he was someone I could rely on. In his feathered hands was an orb-like object that shimmered lightly. Much like Finn and Brielle's, his clothes were all dark in color.

Though Finn’s had fur for décor, much like my blue jacket. And his fur cloak dragged on the floor with every step he took.

“What’s that?” the demon king grumbled.

His eyes were glowing so brightly that they outshined the blue flames from the candles.

“You need her whole, sound, and to love you for the ritual to work. Not hate you, M’lord.” The owl-looking man informed, leaving me flabbergasted.

Love? Who?! You?!

Rolling my eyes, I gazed at the demon who wanted me as his bride.

Never!

I would never give myself to anyone in that way. This man was no different from all the others. Shivers ran down my spine as memories…

“Sylvia! You must do as I say!” Father yelled, chasing after me.

“No, I’m done listening! You’ve already screwed me up in ways you’d never know! I'd rather be homeless than give you anything else!” I screamed, trying to move away.

The man who was supposed to be my father made me sign a paper right when I turned eighteen. It was for a loan. He had promised it was for my studies but instead used it for my sister’s education.

This was an obvious fraud case, but I couldn’t report it—not when he was the police chief.

All of what I said would’ve been buried, if not worse. No one cared enough to see how he was drinking his wages away, either—that or gambling it.

“Stupid bitch, you should be grateful I raised you at all! Come back here!” He yelled, following me close behind.

This man wasn’t my biological father. No, he was married to my mother when my real dad raped her.

Why she had me? I don’t know.

I guess she was too busy dying while having me think. All she left me behind was a broken man who drank his sorrows away.

“I don’t care! I’m leaving!” I stormed, trying to head to my room.

The following words snapped me out of that memory.

“Love’s a thing that doesn’t exist. We should work on an agreement. That’ll work way better than any soppy feelings and stuff.” Finn sighed, shaking his head.

“M’lord, but—” the owl began, only to be interrupted by me.

Never again…

I wouldn’t be used by this man or anyone else. No, I had enough of this bullshit.

“Then you’re doomed, demon king, or whatever you are! I’ll never love or marry you! So, I’m useless for whatever you want me for!” I declared, feeling power over my choices.

If that was what it took, this demon couldn’t get what he wanted from me. At least on his terms, not while I had every card to play. If he let me live, I would attempt to be his worst nightmare.

Once again, his eyes gave off the same radiant hue, and that red aura surrounded his body. The slight warmth they had faded away, turning fridged.

“I wish I could just kill you and steal your power. That little mouth wouldn’t be annoying me then.” Finn narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists.

His aura grew thicker with every moment. All the fear from before left me, though. Even though these appeared like beasts, they were sentient beings. Even so, I wasn’t about to trust them. The owl stepped in between him and me before it escalated.

“M’lord, you can’t. You know that she’s the only chance we will ever have.” The owl sighed, stepping closer to me.

He was taller than the demon king, yet they all respected the shorter-horned man. If it were because of fear or something else, I wouldn’t know. However, to me, he appeared like a child throwing a tantrum.

Or perhaps I was.

“Why did we have to get a saint that’s so stubborn?” Finn complained, eyes twitching, lips curled downward.

It didn’t help that I didn’t stay quiet, though.

“I’m no saint. Another loss for you, little king.” I smirked, triggering him to glare at me again.

It wasn’t only him, but his wolf girl, too. She was a kettle about to blow from how red her face was. I couldn’t help but scowl in her direction, too.

What the heck? Are you his lover or something? I couldn’t give a damn about your man! You can have him all to yourself!

However, the owl once again stood between us. “What makes you say that?” he asked before Finn could get a word out.

Are you trying to protect me? Why?

The owl’s question had an easy answer.

“Don’t saints usually do good things? I destroy. So, I doubt you’d want me either way. And even if you did, my answer doesn’t change.” I assured him, waving him away.

There were just three of us in this room. I could see the little goblin gazing at us from the open door. Thanks to it, I didn’t notice the owl coming near me. When I did, it was too late; he touched my forehead with one of his feathers.

It triggered me to shimmer white, though it was followed by the same dark substance Serena had flowing from her other hand.

That woman did mess with me! No, she gave me something I didn’t want! Just what did she make me?!

The owl’s eyes widened before narrowing, followed by an intrigued chuckle.

“Hoho! M’lord, she’s one of a kind! The power flowing within her can surely purify you!” He suddenly declared, walking over to Finn like it was something good.

Purify?!

Finn shrugged, shaking his head before glaring at me again. That was when the owl once again waved his feathered hand between us, provoking our gaze to meet with him.

“With that said, her mastery is a long way out. She may be even more interesting than the other woman that came with her. Her potential is extraordinary. We made the right choice, M’lord!” The owl assured his lord, glancing back towards me.

A soft sigh left the demon king’s lips, relaxing his stance. There, he shrugged before gazing back at me.

“By the end, I’m sure you’d be head over heels for me.” He smirked, accepting the challenge I gave.

Once again, my temperature rose as my heart galloped an unknown race. Huffin, I faced down the man I was supposed to kill.

There isn’t a reason to kill you. You haven’t done a single thing to me. But…

An unknown warmth came from my lips, and his earlier grip on me was gentle. He probably could rip me apart in many ways if he wanted. Yet I was breathing even when I took his tongue. That alone fired me up even more.

What kind of demon are you?!

“I already hate you. So, good luck.” I scowled, facing him head-on.

The king shook his head, shrugging at my words.

Brielle growled at me, “How dare you talk to my liege like that!?”

The owl refused to let her access me by standing between us.

Finn turned away from me, heading for the door. “Leave her be. She’s just a dumb human that doesn’t know any better.”

The wolf girl shifted toward him in disbelief before glaring back at me.

“But M’lord!” she mumbled, turning back to me. “You’re lucky he needs you!” she scoffed, going for the door.

I should’ve let her go without saying anything else.

Being good gave me nothing but pain! I won’t stay down anymore! I refuse!

Although it probably came with much more misery, I’d enjoy it more.

“I’m sure the definition of luck for you is different than it’s for me, mutt.” I countered.

Turning to me, those yellow eyes of hers shimmering, fangs flashing at me.

“Why you!?” she snapped, radiating that same aura her king did, weaker than Finn’s.

However, it didn’t change how she wanted to launch at me. Yet the moment she heard her master’s voice...

“Brielle, I said leave her!” he commanded, louder than before.

Everything shook because of him, startling me where I stood. The wall he rested his hand on by the door had cracks forming on the stone. There was no denying that man was terrifying and powerful.

So, why do you need me?! What can I do that you can’t?!

It was also the first time anyone had protected me, though he only did it because he needed me whole—something I couldn’t forget. This time, I wouldn’t give any of me to anyone!