Chapter5: Demon Dagger
It had been four hours since Josh and Isabelle arrived at the bar and they were having drinks and enjoying the evening in each other’s company. They sat by the bar which wasn’t packed but was filled with a few people. There was just something seamless about the way they spoke to each other; it was like they’d known each other for years. They both felt comfortable with each other and the sexual tension between them could be felt all around the bar.
“The drinks they serve here are great. How did you find this place?” Josh asked.
“A friend brought me here a few days ago to celebrate my promotion.” She replied.
“Oh, I see,” Josh added.
There was a momentary silence between them and Josh decided to break it with a compliment.
“Are you wearing contacts?” He asked, staring into her deep blue eyes.
“No, I’m not.”
“You have amazing eyes. They look too good to be real.” He said with a smirk.
“That’s a compliment, right?” She asked with a grin.
“Yes, it was.”
“Good! I was just making sure.” Isabelle said and they both laughed.
The strange man that was watching them when they left the restaurant was in the bar as well and was still watching them from where he sat. He had this strange look in his eyes which gave off the vibe that he was up to no good. But, he just watched them while they drank, observing them both.
The man finally stood up and walked over to the bar where Josh and Isabelle were sitting. He had a glass of whiskey in his hand and carried himself to their position. He rudely cut in between them and stood facing Isabelle but his back was turned towards Josh.
“Hey there gorgeous, you mind if I buy you a drink?” The stranger asked her, not caring that she was with someone and acting as if Josh didn’t even exist.
“Actually, I do mind. I’m here with someone so can you please get away from me?” She asked him with a tone. She was very upset by his rudeness.
“No need to be so mean baby.” The man said and tried to touch her hand and that was the trigger for Josh.
He stood up from the bar stool and tapped the stranger roughly on the shoulder to get his attention, “Didn’t you hear what she said? Get away from her.” Josh said angrily.
“I don’t seem to remember talking to you.” The stranger said aggressively and stood toe-to-toe with Josh. He was a lot bigger and taller than Josh who wasn’t intimidated by the man’s superior size.
“Yeah well, I am talking to you. Now leave.” Josh said to him.
The guy took his glass of whiskey and spilt its contents in Josh’s face and spat at his feet.
“Well, what are you going to do if I don’t leave?” The man asked.
He was clearly trying to frustrate Josh into attacking him and it seemed like he was about to succeed in doing so because Josh looked like he was about to unleash the Hulk in him but surprisingly, Isabelle beat him to it.
She grabbed the man’s shoulder and spun him around to face her before running her knee straight at his crotch, making him squeal in pain. She also grabbed a beer bottle from the bar and smashed it against the man’s head and he stumbled backwards disoriented. His head was cut and was bleeding and he looked dazed and enraged.
The man regained his composure in a few seconds and angrily marched at Isabelle but Josh stood in front of him, ready to defend his date when the bartender took out a shotgun and let one fly into the roof as a warning to the troublemaker in his bar.
“Get out of my bar or the next one goes in you.” The bartender threatened the stranger with the gun pointed at him.
The stranger raised his hands in surrender and slowly backed away with a death stare directed at Josh and Isabelle. He exited the bar and the tension died down.
“Are you okay?” Isabelle asked Josh but he just stared at her in awe of her strength and courage.
“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked.
“It’s just…that was the most badass, sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Josh said with a look of desire for this fiery woman.
She sensed his thoughts and they aligned perfectly with hers so, like the independent woman that she was, she took the initiative to get the sexual ball rolling.
“Would you like to come back to my place?” She asked as she bit her lips, never once tearing her gaze away from Josh.
“Totally,” He replied and they left the bar immediately. They went into the car and drove off to her house to continue their date which surely meant a night to remember for both of them.
The stranger that had bothered them in the bar was still outside and he watched them drive away. The cut on his head was fully healed and he wasn’t bleeding any more. He walked into the shadows and shape-shifted into a demon. He opened up his wings and took to the sky before vanishing away in a cloud of smoke.
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Meanwhile, The Devil was watching what was happening from hell and he was upset that his first attempt didn’t go the way he had planned. Zarif, the demon he sent to Earth, had failed him and he was already thinking of how to punish him.
“Hahahaha,” The sound of the enchanting laughter filled the air as God walked into Lucifer’s chamber in hell.
“It seems your little stunt has failed you, Lucy.” God mocked him.
“This was just the first attempt of many more to come. You’re here laughing at me but I don’t see you trying to break the chain yourself.” Lucifer mentioned.
“That’s your problem, Lucifer. You try to do things in the most malicious ways possible which makes you underestimate the power of kindness and love… and that is why you will not succeed.” God said before walking away, leaving The Devil steaming in rage.
850 A.D
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It was late at night and the couple lay on the bed, cuddled up in each other’s arms while they slept. It was a peaceful night and the wind blew softly on their flesh, bringing them comfort in their little home but not as much comfort as their bodies did.
It had been ten years since they were disowned by their fathers but they didn’t feel lost or abandoned. They were happy that they were together on the Earth and it was all they needed, all they wanted; each other, for as long as they lived and for all eternity.
From outside the cottage, there was a faint flutter of wings but Garin heard it from his sleep. He woke up and sat up, looking around to make sure he heard right. Someone was here, he could tell but he didn’t want to worry Hannah, so he quietly crawled out of bed, went to a corner where there was a sack of white powdery substance and grabbed a handful of it and went outside to see who it was.
Garin carried a flaming torch in his other hand as a source of light and carefully looked around for who was there. A sudden breeze blew past him and the torch went out. Garin was sure that the wind wasn’t natural and he called out to whoever was causing it.
“Did Father send you here to finish me off because he can’t stand the fact that I’m happy here?” He asked without seeing who he was talking to but he knew it was one of his siblings from Hell.
“Your perceptiveness was always quite strong and I see you haven’t lost it…yet.” A voice in the darkness said to him.
“I may not have my powers anymore but I still know what it feels like to be around my own family,” Garin said to the faceless voice.
The flame of his torch ignited back on and the demon stepped into the light, revealing himself to be one of Garin’s closest brothers from Hell; Zarif.
His eyes were glowing red and his dark wings could still be seen in the moonless night. He was just as handsome as Garin but taller because he was still a demon. His horns were long and shiny and he exuded an aura so dark that the flowers around him died and withered as he moved closer to them.
“Brother! You look old and worn out.” Zarif said with barely a hint of emotion in his words.
“Time does that to you, especially when you’re a mortal,” Garin replied, “Why are you here, Zarif? Have you come to kill me?”
“I’ve only come to visit you brother. No ulterior motives.” Zarif claimed.
“For some reason, I find that hard to believe,” Garin replied. His guard was up although he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against Zarif without his demon powers.
“Believe it or not brother, I’m not here to kill you. Father prefers you to be alive and suffer on the Earth.” Zarif reassured him.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were for your own purpose. You never could beat me in a fight but now that I’m mortal and powerless, you have a chance.” Garin taunted his brother.
“Now that you’re mortal and powerless, you’re no longer worth my time. You’re like an insect now, compared to me.” Zarif insulted him.
“Why have you come, Zarif?” Garin asked again with a folded fist.
Zarif shape shifted into his human flesh and human clothes to appear less threatening so he could gain his brother’s trust because he knew when Garin heard why he was here, he would need to be persuaded and coaxed.
“Father has a proposition for you. If you do as he asks, he’ll let you return home.”
“And what does he want me to do?” Garin asked, already sure it would be something terrible.
Zarif opened his palm and a dagger manifested in it. He held it out for Garin to take and waited for him to do so.
“What is that for?” Garin asked suspiciously, recognizing the dagger immediately he saw it.
“It’s for your wife. Father will forgive you and let you return home if you drive this dagger into her heart.”
Garin couldn’t believe his ears.
“What?”
“You heard me, Garin. Take the dagger, kill Hannah and return home with your honour.” Zarif said with a demonic smile.
Garin was furious with this offer. He was burning with rage by the fact that Lucifer would think him this desperate to return home. He put down the flaming torch and walked closer to Zarif. He stretched out his hand and reached for the dagger and just as he was about to grab it, he poured the salt in his hand into Zarif's eyes which burned him like acid.
Zarif fell to the ground and screamed out in pain, holding his burning face in anger.
“Tell Father that I’d rather kill all the demons in Hell than do what he wants. Never come back here, Zarif. I may not have my powers but I still know how to defend myself against you or any of our siblings. Leave…now!” Garin demanded.
Zarif released his wings and looked at his brother with hatred before flying off into the night sky and disappearing.
Zarif’s screams had woken Hannah up from her sleep and she came outside just as he took to the sky. She moved over to Garin and he instinctively wrapped his hands around her to protect her.
“Who was that, Garin?” She asked.
“My brother,” He replied.
“What did he want from you?” she asked.
“Nothing that I would give,” he said before kissing her forehead, “Come on. Let’s go back to bed.”
They went back inside and Garin closed the door after surveying around one last time to make sure Zarif was gone.
The dagger was still on the ground and it slowly evaporated into dust and was carried off into the sky by the cool breeze, refusing to be used by its former owner.