Do Your Worst

I sat in the library doing minor research on my kind. I wanted to learn to control my 'gift' as a demon. I wanted to be able to hear the thoughts and feelings of others on my own accord, not when my own emotions shift.

I couldn't help but think about that girl Castiel claims to like so much. Was she here with bad intentions or is my intuition fooling me? What shifter isn't afraid of a demon who cannot control his temper?. I stood and walked about the massive room, taking books that seemed relevant to my research on both my species and the shifter species. Laying the texts open on the floor in front of me, I sat in the middle of the semicircle. After an hour of reading I came across something of interest.

"While most shifters are generally pleasant beings, some are born with a mark of evil. This mark would commonly be found on the neck, wrists, or ankles. It would provide the shifter with greater amounts of power and clod the mind with small criminal acts. If the mark were to be found on any other part of the body, the shifter will be at a higher level of power and do more evil, rather than think of evil. This is rare and the probably of occurrence is one out of every two thousand shifters born."

I read it over and over, trying to make sense of the passage. I was so engrossed in it that I hadn't noticed anyone come in.

"What do you have there?" Bravo called from behind me. I looked up and pushed the book to him, telling him to read it.

"What exactly are you suggesting, Xantis?"

"This could explain why that Astria girl was not afraid of me when I lashed out at her."

"Why are you looking into this?" I hung my head, embarrassed of my answer.

"I uh, I do not know enough about demons or my own parents, so I came here. While doing so, I got curious about her."

"You do not know anything about your own kind?" Bravo asked, bewildered.

"I know what Micole and Kareene told me while I was young, but it is just basic knowledge. It is an embarrassment to be asked questions and not know the answers on what should be a simple subject to me.

Bravo nodded and sat in a chair in front of me. He stared at the several books and shook his head as if he were giving in.

"Is that all you have found out about her?" I nodded and looked back down at the book in my hands. Nothing else has caught my interest. The rest of the chapter only explains the process of shifting and changing genders for disguise.

I shut all of the shifter books and set them behind me, going back to my original research. Bravo moved next to me and started scanning a book I hadn't gotten to. It was quiet for a short while. People walked passed us and stared, and I could tell what they were thinking just by the expressions on their faces. What is another angel prince doing with a demon? After what felt like another hour, Bravo spoke up.

"Xantis, this description sounds like you."

"What does it say?" As elated as I was to find out, I was also terrified. Most of what I read did not have good things to say about my species.

"It is a recent book. 'Over fifteen years ago, demon royalty lost their son during an invasion of their land. King Lucifer was reluctant to give up his son but knew it was the only way to win the war against the Shadow Kingdom. Several years later, the king and his wife took their own lives in grievance of the loss of their only child. Knowledge of where the prince resides - or whether is he is alive- is still unknown today.'"

Stunned by what I heard, I could not help but let my mouth hang open Could my parents really have given me away to win a war? Could that even have been me? As if reading my mind, Bravo answered my silent question.

"I do not know how it could be anyone else, Xantis. You are sixteen years of age, correct? I have only heard stories about one demon prince in our generation. My father might have some information you could be interested in."

I nodded, unable to speak. Bravo stood, taking a few books up with him. I followed suit and we returned everything to their rightful places. For a moment I stared at the shelves. My father was named after the devil himself. So what would that make me?

Bravo tugged on my arm, motioning me out of the over-sized room. We walked in silence, a very uncomfortable one. As we walked through the dark golden halls, I could not stop thinking about the passage. The king and his wife took their own lives. I was so lost in thought that I walked straight into a celestial gold plated door. I stumbled back, feeling my skin start to burn instantly from the brief touch. I reached up for the onyx charm around my neck only to find nothing but the thin, broken chain that supported the charm. Bravo looked at me curiously as I frantically searched for the charm.

It was less than a minute later that I was doubled over in pain. I could not move, except to fall to my knees. I could not speak. I was paralyzed. Before I could process what was happening around me, I was lifted onto someone's back. I could hear Bravo calling my name behind me. Who had picked me up? As I was hurried through several corridors, I felt myself growing weaker, and soon, unconscious.