20 Scouting the terrain

Aisha.

We are all sitting together outside the human institute. Everette agreed to come with me, he needs to make sure the Infernal beast is not hiding there.

It's kind of like, scouting the terrain.

Shameena and Asmodeus glared at each other at every opportunity, yet managed to stay apart. On the contrary, Life and Death don't separate for a second, they smile like there's no tomorrow and kiss every five minutes.

Everette has been very calm, neither too cheerful nor too grumpy, I can't complain since he's even been a bit of a gentleman.

Knowing that he's a demon, that's quite an accomplishment.

"Hello." I look up when I hear a male voice.

My eyes meet those of a human, his skin is white and his light brown hair is slightly tousled, he has a very nice smile and his eyes are light brown.

I give Everette a sidelong glance before saying something.

"Hello." I answer simply.

"You're Camille, aren't you?" he asks nervously.

Of course I'm not.

"I guess so..." I shrug my shoulders.

"I was wondering if, you'd like to go out with me tonight?"

I open my eyes exaggeratedly, with a fearful gesture. I feel everyone's eyes on Everette, I'm terrified of his reaction myself, so I act nonchalant.

"No, I'm sorry." I smile in compromise.

"May I ask why?" he raises his eyebrows in disbelief.

"I'm not interested." I assure him.

The human rolls his eyes and leaves the place, however the tension doesn't, Everette watches him walk away and after a few seconds smiles psychopathically.

An intense shiver runs through me as I watch that smile, it's so strange I don't even know what to think, then his eyes land on me and he winks.

The commotion in the distance manages to catch my attention, I turn and see a couple of humans arguing, he yells at her over and over again while she just cries uncontrollably, humans have no shame whatsoever, they make that kind of fuss in the middle of a crowd of students.

The boy hits the girl, leaving me shocked, she just brings a hand to her flushed cheek and runs away, the boy seems ready to follow her. From one second to the next he stops with an expression of pure panic. I blink in confusion and rest my eyes on the demons next to me. I feel a strange sensation come over me when I see the satisfied gesture each one has, I don't know at what moment Life walked away, but now I only see them.

Death, Asmodeus, Shameena, and Everette all stare at the human with an expression of amusement and satisfaction. The human falls to the ground and several people come to his rescue, their screams begin to echo throughout the place, Everette's smile is macabre.

They are doing that.

And it is at that moment when I realize the reality.

They are demons, their nature is based on torturing those who condemn their souls to Hell, they feed on fear, suffering, dark thoughts and wrong desires, they are like that.

Will I be like that someday?

After several minutes, everyone comes out of their trance and acts as if nothing has happened. Everette watches me for a few seconds and a mischievous smile comes to his lips.

He leans down until his lips brush my ear.

"You don't know how much it turns me on to see your terrified face." he whispers huskily.

I swallow dryly and pull away, he laughs and I sit up quickly, I wait for him to imitate me and we walk away from each other without saying a word.

" Did you do that?" I ask when we are alone.

"What exactly do you mean?" he pretends to be innocent.

I narrow my eyes.

"You know what I mean." I cross my arms.

He sighs and rolls his eyes.

"I just watched him." he assures me.

"The guy was in agony." I reproach.

"That's because I saw him with my demonic eyes, the ones I use to burn souls and torture."

"Why did you do it? He's a human, you can't come and torture them in this world, it's theirs, they deserve to be free while they are here."

Everette grimaces and all traces of joking leave his face.

"My demonic stare doesn't work unless her soul is doomed to be in Hell, I simply gave him a little demonstration of what awaits him." he glares at me.

"You have no right to do that. Not here.No matter how much they deserve it, this is their world."

"I have every right to do my will whenever I wish." his voice is calm, yet I have learned to discern the hint of anger in it.

"This is not Hell, Everette. You are no longer in your realm. You cannot torture humans and enjoy it!" I insist.

"Of course I can, Aisha! I am a demon! It is my duty to give a punishment to the humans who deserve it!" exclaims in exasperation. "But you simply don't understand, you don't have a demonic nature and your progress is damn slow."

I feel something inside me tighten, a part of me wants to be like him, to understand the world as he does, and another part of me knows that at one point in my life I was human, this was my existence. It's annoying to deal with them, I get it, but torturing them is not what I want.

"That's not my fault, you know very well that I've tried to become the demon you expect. I've tried hard to change!"

He closes his eyes in frustration.

"I never asked you to stop being who you are completely, don't try to turn this situation into something illogical. But you and I both know that you have no intention of giving up your compassion for humans, inside you do not believe they should be punished."

"I know they can be irritating, but they are not that bad."

"What about the human that attacked you at the place where Shameena found you?"

My skin crawls at the memory and I mentally curse Shameena for telling him about that incident.

"That's..."

"Or that human who hit that girl?" he asks again.

"He..."

"There are humans who deserve to rot in Hell, and if you want me to acknowledge it I will, there are also humans who deserve to go to the realm of the Celestials. I do not force them to be beasts, they are by nature and they will receive their punishment." He turns around ready to walk again with the others. "Many times I feel that the only thing you do is to recriminate what I am, in all my existence doing evil has been part of me, the sins are my commandments, I will not change."

Without further ado, he walks away.

I sigh tiredly and deny, walk in the opposite direction, enter the institute and walk down the busy hallway.

I never wanted him to think I reproach what he does, I understand he's a demon, part of me knows that's one of the reasons he drives me crazy and why we argue so much. I fail to understand why I feel so indignant when it comes to human lives. I myself felt irritated after a while with them.

In the distance I catch a glimpse of Life, she is laughing with a group of humans. I don't understand how she can act so naturally. She is a Celestial, yet she is life, Life itself, I am more than sure she feels immense love for each and every living creature.

"Camille!" she smiles in my direction and waves her hand at me, motioning me to come closer.

I deny with a half smile and she says something to the humans standing with her, says goodbye and walks towards me.

"I really don't like it when you call me that." I confess.

She laughs softly.

"I'm really sorry Aisha, but remember what Everette said, as long as you are trapped in Camille's existence, you need to adopt her identity."

I nod reluctantly.

"This world turns out to be more stressful than I thought." I admit.

"The mortal realm is full of emotions, humans practically breathe feelings, they are all connected that way." she smiles warmly. "Feelings are the only connection we can have with them."

"Demons don't have feelings."

Her laughter reaches my ears.

"Of course they do." she says obviously.

"No, they don't feel anything, their only desire is to torture."

Life stares at me, I notice a bit of indignation in her eyes, I almost think she feels offended.

"I think you really don't know much about demons despite living among them."

"I know how cruel they can be."

She rolls her eyes.

"Demons are the most passionate creatures in all the realms." she says firmly. "What I can feel is not even a shadow of what they feel. I find it rather stupid for you to express yourself that way about demons, when you have the mark of one."

"It's not something I want..." my gaze is fixed on the ground when I hear her snort, my eyes collide with hers, they fiercely analyze me.

"A couple of days ago you kept begging for Everette, now that he's finally by your side you say that. I don't understand what your problem is, but I think you should be proud to be with him in Hell." she says venomously.

"You wouldn't say that if you were in my place." I exclaim irritated.

"If I could be next to Death, that would be enough!" she shrieks angrily, her breathing becomes irregular, I have never seen her like this. "I never criticize other beings, but I think you are ungrateful. Do you have any idea what I would give to be with Death? Do you know how much I want to see my daughter? She is in Hell and I only get to see her once every thousand years."

The image of Aphra appears in my mind, I had completely forgotten that she is separated from her family.

"Life, I..."

"You just don't know how lucky you are." she denies disappointedly and smiles longingly. I love my kingdom, is part of who

I am and I strongly love all the good and hope there is in it, but Hell can be paradise for many also. She walks in the direction of the classrooms and I sigh.

My unconsciousness has offended too much today.

"Camille." I growl and turn around when I hear the name I'm supposed to answer to.

The boy from a while ago looks at me in fright.

"Yes?" I ask reluctantly.

"I want to apologize, I didn't know that the boy next to you was your fiancé." his voice is barely a thread. "I really hope you two will be very happy."

What the hell?

"Excuse me?" I ask stunned.

"He talked to me a few minutes ago, I really feel like a fool, I would never have tried to separate you from him." his voice is

a whisper now. "I don't know where you met someone as powerful as that guy."

Damn...

"I really don't understand anything you're saying."

"No need, I just wanted to apologize, now everyone knows he's your fiancé." he smirks and walks down the hall without even giving me a chance to respond.

Oh, he didn't.

Instead of walking, I run through the place until I reach the exit, I look for him among the humans for a few seconds until my eyes finally find him. He looks like a goddamn god, he's there with his typical mischievous grin, his muscles contract with every movement, his eyes go flat when he smiles and his ever-present dimples stun me.

How can he look so good while sitting?

I slow my pace until I walk in his direction, once I'm in front of him, his dark eyes analyze me seriously, while in the background there is only mockery.

"Is something wrong?" he asks relaxed.

Asmodeus and Shameena roll their eyes and walk away holding hands, Death is no longer here.

"What did you do?" I spit venomously.

"I made things easier for you." he shrugs.

"I'm serious!" I shriek indignantly. "Do you even know what that term means in the mortal realm?"

"Of course I do." he rolls his eyes amusedly.

"Less than an hour ago you walked away from me, completely furious, and now you're telling humans that I'm your fiancée.

That makes no sense."

He laughs mischievously, his perfect white teeth irritating. Why does he have to be so damn perfect!? If only he were less beautiful, I'd remember why I'm annoyed with him.

"You're annoying, but you're my annoyance. I just made it clear to the humans. Remember the mark makes you mine."

"You're a fucker." I grimace.

His smile gets much wider and he winks.

"Of course I am. For now I must go, I suppose you must cover for the human in her activities." he leans down until his lips brush mine and leaves a light kiss on them, leaving me stunned. "May darkness be in your path."

I close my eyes anxious for his touch, wait several seconds and when nothing happens I open them.

He is gone.

Embarrassment overcomes me as I imagine him laughing somewhere.