The Demon and the Human Prophecy

•† Rage's POV †•

I cautiously watched as he drove away, Aiurea's tiny figure in the seat beside him. I sighed in relief when he turned the corner and turned back to my brother. He just stood there. He didn't attempt a chase or even bother turning his head to follow his direction, merely his eyes. Every fiber of me slung me toward Aiurea, but I knew that the only way to keep her safe was to handle the problem standing before me.

His steely eyes were now trained on me, "What exactly is your relationship with that girl?" I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my skinny jeans and glared at him. "Casual, romantic... What?" He began to slowly saunter forward. I just stood there; I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of answering. He would guess the answer long before I could think of viable claim for either. "So romantic..." A dark smirk spread across his lips, but it quickly vanished. "Well, no matter what your feelings for this girl are, you are a pest. An insignificant insect in the way of a plot much larger than you." His harsh growl didn't phase me. It hasn't in a long time.

"I'm hardly an insect," I muttered curtly, "but as long as I'm an inconvenience, I could care less what you call me."

"Why don't you just run along like a good little pest." He grumbled caustically, "It would save me the trouble of having to teach you a well deserved lesson in humility."

I barked out a laugh, "Ha! Sure, what ever you say, brother."

His nose wrinkled in disgust as he looked over me. "I don't know why I waste my time." He grumbled. He turned on his heel and began in the direction of the car.

Crimson soaked the edges of my vision. No... I charged at him, my claws at the ready. There was a slight glimpse in my direction, a sudden stop, and then a deflection of my attack. I caught myself and rolled back to my feet, only to swing at him again. He easily deflected my attack, but this time his claws found their way to embed themselves into my torso. I bit down on my lower lip and tried to ignore the pain as he threw me to the ground. When I attempted to stand, I felt one of his boots slam against the side of my face. Damn it—I spat blood onto the ground. I shoved myself off the ground and dodged a his claws only for his other hand to find my throat.

He was now staring me in the eyes. "This is a game for those mature enough to cope, Rage. I'd suggest you back out now unless you want to pay the price." My vision was almost completely dominated by crimson as I glowered into his eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you, so you're wasting your breath." His returning glare fiercened as his onyx eyes bore into mine. His fingers slowly began to restrict, and my hands flew to his arm defensively.

"You are a glutton for punishment aren't you." He growled through clenched teeth.

"Do it already..." I choked out. A moment later a few rain drops began to fell, and his eyes shot to the sky.

"Damn—Running out—time..." His voice was so low that I didn't catch everything he had said. Either that or it was the lack of Oxygen flowing to my brain...

He finally released me by slamming me to the ground. I gasped in a breath and glared up at him. I could see the intention in his eyes as his heel slammed into my temple forcing me into a woozy darkness.

His voice was the last I heard before drifting off, "Annoying pest..."

I drifted through the darkness, the pain pulsing through my head vibrated through my skull. I could still taste a bit of blood in my mouth and feel it trickle down my face. The busted cut on the side of my face was now slightly bleeding, but other wise, I was numb. I was vaguely aware of the cool drops of liquid beating down upon my face and body. The liquid that fell against me began to soak into my clothing and weight me down ever-so-slightly. The tension in my skull began to dull as the cool droplets soaked into my hair and washed off my face. If was soothing in a way.

Then there was a sound. It was as though someone was calling out to me. It wasn't a voice I immediately recognized. I could feel my numb body being dragged against the hard, uncomfortable ground. What ever this creature was, I wanted to tell them to leave me be. To let me lie where I was in the numbness of being still. The pain in my temple began to increase as I was slowly pulled out of the downpour.

No, I wanted to call out. No matter how much I wanted to, there was no moving my lips to form words. My face was cold, numb even, but my head was pounding. The pain radiated down to my jaw, despite the cold nothingness that was my face.

There it was again. The sound that reached me was almost mute, but it gave off the feeling of someone calling out to me. I could not speak, nor could I hear or move. So I tried my hand at inhaling. I sucked in a quick breath, which strained my throat, bringing an all new pain to my once numb body. My brother's scent was all but erased from the air. I knew it was the humid air around me, but that didn't erase an immediate scent. It was familiar, but I could not place it. No matter how much of it I inhaled, I could not put it to a face in the frantic wonderings of my mind. The extra exerted effort made my skull throb as a pang rang through it.

My only other alternative was to open my eyes and find out for myself. The problem was getting them to open in the first place. I don't know what it was, but something was holding me back. Even as the unplaceable voice called out to me now, I could not figure it out. I was utterly confused. What was it? Then a name was forced to the front of my mind.

Aiurea.

My eyes instantly jolted open to see a pair of glassy blue eyes staring down at me. His dark brown, shaggy hair hung around his long face. His eyes were clearly worried, but his face was calm. I knew him instantly, from the shaggy hair to the wiry muscle that twisted down his long arms. It was Slash...

Of course, Slash wasn't his real name, but it wasn't like I knew his real name anyway. I only knew him as Aiurea's best friend and soul brother. I had been told that he and Aiurea had known each other since they were in diapers, but I never checked whether or not it was true.

"Oh thank god." He sighed. He tried his best to pull on a cool mask, but I could see the worry that it was concealing. "I thought you'd never wake up." He muttered, relief spreading through his sigh.

I wrenched myself into an upright position, despite the pain, and looked out into the pouring rain. Damn it... Why did she have to be caught out in this? Especially with my brother on her trail... I should have known. All traces of Aiurea's sweet, mouth watering aroma had gone, only leaving behind the smell of Slash and I.

I glanced back at Slash, "It's a bit of a shock seeing you here." He understood my inferred question and replied.

"My family and I are back in town visiting." He muttered in explanation. He had left town when his father's job transferred him from this dinky little town a few months ago.

In the beginning, the only humans that I interacted with were Aiurea, the idiot that just dragged her away, and Slash. Like most of my kind, when I was sent here, I believed that all humans were repulsive and I'd wanted nothing to do with them. And for the most part, that was true. It is still true about Righge, but I learned otherwise about Aiurea and Slash. At the start, Aiurea and I weren't exactly on good terms. Her temper irritated me beyond words, and I was very cold to her. It wasn't until later that barrier dropped and I was introduced to Slash. He and I became friends almost instantly, so it wasn't a problem.

"When I got back, I decided to go see if Aiurea wanted to hang out for a little bit, maybe even watch a movie." Slash continued, "But when Oro told me that she was already at the theater with Righge, I knew that she couldn't possibly be there willingly. So I left to go find them, and then I saw you lying in the middle of the street, the rain pouring down and you were bleeding." A brief smile crossed my lips, even though it only lasted for a faction of a second. He knew her better than anyone I'd met in all of the time I'd been here.

"Aiurea will be excited..." I muttered spitefully. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, but it did.

He spoke again as I started rising to my feet, "Where is she?" His voice was calm. I hadn't told him that I was a demon, but I was sure that he knew. Aiurea doesn't keep anything from him, and I remember being relieved when I'd realized that he wouldn't care.

"In danger." Those were the only grim words that had to leave my lips before he understood. I always enjoyed talking with Slash. He knew what was coming to my mind without my lips even uttering a word. That was one of the things I missed about his leaving the town. I'd had little to no one tolerable to be around.

I had to brace myself against my knees. I could hear the darkness within me growling.

Weakling, it spat. You know she is in danger, and yet you let a tiny obstacle like pain get in your way. Pathetic—I guess you don't really love the girl...

That was enough. I sauntered forward, every part of me wanting to cease the nagging growl in the back of my mind. "Wait!" Slash called out, "I'm going with you."

I looked back into his earnest eyes. I didn't have time to refuse him, so I waved him forward. "Just make sure you can keep up." I grumbled.

Undeterred by the rain or the cold we ran around the corner. The rain practically wiped out her scent, but it hadn't destroyed my brother's. It was faint, but I could still follow it.

As we ran, I had to explain everything about my brother. How he'd shown up out of thin air, and how he was pursuing Aiurea. Despite not knowing his motivation, Slash understood the immediate danger surrounding the circumstances. The reasoning behind his targeting Aiurea was still murky, but I knew it had to have something to do with the strength of her aura and potency of her smell. I remember constantly fretting that her scent would draw the blood suckers from the darkest shadows.

Damn it... It would be so much easier if it weren't raining.

•† Aiurea's POV †•

We drove in the heavy rain for fifteen minutes. My panic and worry filled the atmosphere of the car, forcing a tense vibe that could easily be sliced with a knife. The heavy drizzle was now growing a bit excessive as Righge neared the park.

The unnatural drone of his engine had begun to unnerve me as Righge whispered obscenities under his breath. He gently released and reapplied the gas, but the car began to slow to a halt. I whipped around to face him, my eyes surely wide with terror.

"What are you doing!?" I shrieked, "We can't stop now!"

"Well I'm sorry," He barked, "The damn thing won't go." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the soft yellow flashing of the oil light. I hadn't noticed it before, but now I realize how important it was for us to notice that the before we were running for our lives.

My heart stuttered unevenly in my chest. I had to inhale deeply and often remind myself to breathe. I knew the man from the street seemed to have some sort of interest in me. I didn't know what it was, nor did I want to know. All I knew is that I was scared spit-less. I tapped my fingers to try to ease my nerves, but it did not help. Righge started calling out much more recognizable curse words.

"Start!" He growled irritably. We both jumped with a start when a hand slammed through the roof. I let out a high pitched squeal and inched away in my seat.

I couldn't stop myself before my hand flew the door handle. My fingers yanked on it with all their might, but the door wouldn't open. My stomach knotted and flipped as my heart accelerated. No... The earsplitting sound of metal tearing rang through the air. I looked up, not knowing what I was searching for, but I only found more terror. That same hand that slammed through the roof of the car was peeling it back like it was a fragile piece of fruit. The screeching of the roof didn't stop before the rain from outside started to fill the car.

The cool air whipped through the car, making me shiver even heavier than I was before. I yanked on the handle to the door one last time, shot a hopeful look over to a frozen Righge, and began to turn around in order to climb into the back seat. I knew, even through my accelerated heartbeat and frantic thoughts, that the back seat was my only chance of escape. I tried to climb faster as the ripping metal sound ceased. Those erratic thoughts were shattered when an arm snaked around my waist. I let out a scream as a wiry muscled arm pulled me out of the car, and into the pouring rain.

"Shh..." The man's voice from the street rang in my ear. His coo did not comfort me in the slightest, "No harm will come to your friend if you just come with me." His breath was at my ear as he brushed my, now damp, bangs from my eyes. A shiver rolled down my spine. I felt so helpless as he dragged me off the slippery car.

Righge's head popped out of the top of the car. I shot him a pleading look, but the fear in his his eyes is evident. And powerful...

"Let's go." His once cooing voice now hardened as his large hand cupped my elbow.

"Don't do it." That voice. Off in the rain, two obviously male figures ran toward us. I'd know that velvet growl anywhere. My heart shuttered with relief as my eyes burned. Every piece of me wanted to be safe in his arms, even though his warm arms haven't held me but once, and it was for a very short time. Then I remembered the hand on my elbow. I glanced up at the onyx eyes glaring over my head. Part of me told me that Rage was in danger, but on the other hand so was I.

"Rage..." I sighed, tears burning worse than before.

Then a familiar face ran up along side the jet black haired boy. His dark brown hair was soaked from the rain, and his clothes clung to his lanky body. A pair of glossy blue eyes stared into mine. His face , which was blanketed in beaded sweat and water, was in a calm mask that didn't seem to mask the caution and anger in his eyes. It was my best friend, that has been like my brother since I was a baby, Slash. (Of course that wasn't his real name, but that's what I've called him for so long that I've almost forgotten his real name.)

The warmth of the tears that finally trickled down my cold face felt great. There was already water dripping down it, but it was chilling liquid that was raining down from the sky. Not the salty substance that finally quit welling in my eyes. The huff from behind me was agitated. His nails pressed into my skin as he tightened his grips on my — much tinier in comparison — arm. I let out a panicked yelp when he yanked me back. My heart stuttered again, forcing my stomach to knot tighter.

I reached out to Rage as we I sloshed through the rain behind his brother. "Take your hands off of her!" His tender growl grew coarse as he charged forward. Every bit of me was screaming no, but I couldn't open my mouth. I didn't feel his arm even move. In one swift movement, I was against the pavement, my left elbow and calf were scratched up, and I was soaked.

A warm droplet splashed against my face before I could get a chance to look up. It was washed away before I could feel it with my fingers as well. My eyes then took in the scene above me. Rage's face was distorted into a cringing look of pain. His teeth were gritted together and visible, and one of his eyes was squinted while the other was clamped tightly. As my eyes traveled downward, I noticed that the red dripping onto the man's large fingers. His nails... They were deep inside Rage's torso.

My lip began to quiver as a fresh torrent of tears blurred my vision, washed away by the drizzle of rain. No... I shivered as the cold rain beat down against my already cold skin.

"Sad, pathetic little brother..." The man's condescending purr sent a ripple of fear down my spine forcing me to shiver. "Falling for the romantic advances of such a fragile creature such as a human..." In reply, Rage spit blood from his mouth at his brother. A growl began deep in his brother's throat before he slammed Rage on the ground next to me. I jumped, falling on my back, and whimpered.

"Rage...?" I whispered. My voice cracked and quivered. I pushed myself up off the ground, wincing at the stinging pain in my elbow. I crawled over to him, only to be pushed away.

"Leave." His order was strangled, but the gruffness was still obvious. He then rolled across the ground as a boot slammed down in his place. He was positioned over me, now blocking me from the rain. I could feel him slightly shaking. I bit my lip as my eyes stung as new tears threatened to overflow. His jaw was rigid as he looked down at me. "Prepare to move with me." His voice was barely a whisper, and it was almost drown out by the rain, but I still heard it.

I wiped my eyes and shakily wrapped my arms around his neck. In one swift motion he dodged a swing from his brother, pressed his body to mine, and shrank to the cover of the trees. The rain still beat down on our skin when I felt something warm begin to leak through my top as we stumbled back into a tree. He leaned against me, breathing heavily. His face had a cut across his face and a slight bruise on his temple. I shakily sighed as I looked down at his stomach. My knees grew weak and my stomach flipped at the blood that now stained my top and his.

His warm breath was in my face while he doubled over. "Rage!?" I barely caught sight of his brother over his shoulder in time. Without thinking I shoved Rage behind me, twisting around him on my toes, and threw my self in front of his brother.

"No!" It was too late. A stabbing pain shot through my torso. My stomach twisted around the pain forcing forward the urge to vomit. I bit my lip, not stopping even when I tasted blood. His fingers were forcefully yanked out, clawing across my stomach. I bit down harder as the wrenching pain made me double over. I let out a muffled scream.

"Gage — bastard!" The only words that entered my pounding ears.

I heard Gage, as Rage had called him, curse under his breath. "She's — of n— to m — now." My world began to spin, and I stumbled backwards. I was vaguely aware of the hands that now supported me. Even though my vision shook and slurred, I couldn't see Rage's brother any longer.

It wasn't long before his face dominated my view. His velvet purr muttered my name, but it was distorted. The rain fell on my face, warped my vision even more than it had before. He said my name again, but words didn't reach me. When I was no longer on my feet, I drifted into a numb darkness.

I could barely feel the rain as it trickled down my body. It was cold. Very cold... I struggled to keep my head above the water, but I knew I was drifting and the harder I fought, the more it hurt. It took a mere moment for the darkness to consume me.