yours

Right. Take things nice and slow. Yes, this was the way to entice a mass murderer who may or may not have doomed the entire human civilization. Phoenix let out a high-pitched giggle in his female disguise, fanning the intricately woven fan around his face. His eyes caught Ouroboros' every movement, every in hale, every exhale, every small twitch of his left eye, the rhythmic tapping of his fingers...

Finally, the taller man moved. Ouroboros leaned closer, his hand rising from the edge of the long table.

In this moment, it was only them. The dancing and music of those selfish aristocrats faded into the background and Phoenix felt himself inhaling sharply. His eyes fluttered closed.

For a moment, it seemed like time had stopped.

That is, until Ouroboros' lips completely ignored Phoenix's and instead brushed past his ear.

"If you pull this sort of elaborate prank again, I'm afraid I shall have to dice you into miniscule pieces and add you to my chicken bone soup."

Phoenix winced, shaken from his drunken stupor. Strange. He had a high alcohol tolerance, yet he was feeling giddy over a few drinks that Ouroboros had brought over.

"Sorry. Er... Has anyone ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?" A pathetic attempt to salvage the situation.

His irises were blue, decorated with tiny flecks of gold. When he smiled, he vaguely reminded Phoenix of a snake, waiting to strike at his most vulnerable moment. A fitting description, considering his name.

Ouroboros smiled. That damned charming smile that made Phoenix swoon with delight.

"I don't need anyone to tell me that. I know."

"I have an idea."

"Why don't you kill yourself?"

"You're so smoking hot, I just want to stroke myself to you."

"What?"

"What?"

"You could never understand!" She screamed at the illusion, fists beating onto the smiling beauty. "How could you? Lilith..."

Evangeline's tears soaked into her robes, her once serene face now contorted with rage and jealousy. I watched on, as she tried to assault the hallucinations of her past.

"You, who was adored! You, who could choose anyone in the world! I wanted you to choose me! I couldn't decide whether I wanted to be you or be with you!"

"Lust?" Cephalus let out a laugh, the tip of his blade threatening to slice the demon's head from his neck. "The bond we have is greater than lust. Of course, a being such as you cannot comprehend the connection my fellow and I feel for each other. Lowly being, I doubt even your own mother loves you."

"That's enough, Cephalus," I interrupted, eyeing the agitated demon warily.

"So that's it?"

Cephalus seemed small and so vulnerable under the dim moonlight. His dark eyes seemed to stare right at me, trying to decipher my decision.

"You're leaving me for him? For Asterion, out of all people?" His jaw tightened.

"What have I done wrong?"

"You know very well what you've done wrong."

No matter how pitiful he looked now, he was still Cephalus. Cruel Cephalus, horrible Cephalus, Cephalus, who I had admired and praised initially.

"Will you throw me away, like you do to everyone else?" My words were soft, but he seemed to understand.

A sharp breath.

"We're different. You know this. Novus, we're better. Our bond is special." He seemed more intent on convincing himself rather than I.

"Is it?"

He failed to answer.

He shook his head, handsome face pleading with me. "Novus, come back to me. I'll... I'll change. For you. Only you. So please..."

"I'm sorry." Was the only reply I could muster. Oh, this traitorous heart of mine throbbed at the sight of him begging for me to reconsider.

"My decision is final, Cephalus." With that, I ran as fast as my legs could take me, not trusting my heart to not waver at another sound of his voice.

I ran, away from the man who ruined my life four thousand, four hundred and forty-four times.