Hearts of Steel
A Demon's Promise
Hexus lied still as consciousness slowly returned to him. His eyes opened to a ceiling, white and foreign to him as he glared at it, trying to discern his whereabouts. His head throbbed madly as he turned it to the side, and he scowled at the view. The beast was still in the room he had teleported into by accident. Hexus groaned as he rolled over, lifting his torso up with his enlarged claw. A bolt of pain shot through him, causing his face to twist into a grimace. Upon looking down, Hexus discovered his wounds were bound. Had that girl done this? Surely not. He smirked as he spoted a torn bed sheet and scattered towels soaked in his silver blood. Don't think I owe you anything…
A crash sounded from somewhere in the house, and Hexus grew alert. More crashes followed. The sound of shattering glass, objects being thrown at walls, all of them mingle with incoherent shouts. Hexus was frozen. Was it Cifil, having tracked him down to finish their fight? Hexus knew the angel would not stand for his previous act of cowardice, how he teleported blindly away when the battle turned sour for him. But there was no way Hexus could face her in his current state. It had been far too long since he had returned to Gadorath to give his power respite. He wasn't sure he had the strength even to go back to his world.
The beast's long misshapen ears perked curiously as the commotion continued on the first floor. A female voice could be heard among the clamor, high-pitched and frightened. Hexus slid himself carefully across the floor, maneuvering his back against the wall that was facing the door. The commotion ceased, filling the household with an eerie silence. Cifil appeared to have taken care of that blasted girl.
The creature's ears perked once more as muffled shuffling noises drifted from downstairs. Footsteps sounded softly as someone ascended the steps. Ears flat, muscles tense, Hexus held his monstrous hand at the ready as the talons extended soundlessly. The handle of the door before him turned as the door cracked open. Cursing internally, Hexus relaxed as the rosy-haired girl slid inside the room. Her back was to him as she silently closed the door. Disregarding the beast, the girl turned and sunk to the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms. Her wavy ginger-toned hair fell over her shoulders.
Hexus blinked as an almost awkward silence filled the room. Did she not notice his consciousness? Was she not afraid of him? A small spark of anger flashed through Hexus at the thought. He wasn't used to not being feared by humans.
"He's never hit me before," the girl said softly, halting his thought process. She gave a sniff, swiping her arm under her nose as she sat up straight. Her face was streaked with tearstains, and her right cheek burned an angry red. Hexus didn’t volunteer an interjection, so she continued.
"My dad's an alcoholic. Has been ever since mom left. He's an angry drunk, if you haven't noticed." Her red-rimmed eyes remained fixed on the floorboards as she talked. "But he's never hit me before." She placed her head back in the crook of her elbow. Hexus snorted.
"You seriously think I give a damn?" he growled, his voice hoarse. The girl was silent for a moment.
"No," she murmured, her voice slightly muffled. Hexus rolled his bloodshot eyes. His whole body ached, and he was tempted to shape shift into a simpler form to ease the pain and conserve energy. He ignored the urge and glared at the girl.
"He'll hit you again," he said bluntly, his tone void of compassion. The girl picked her head up to give him a confused look. "You think you're the only one who gets smacked around by your father?" She stared back at him, searching his eyes, her gaze piercingly reading him. An odd feeling rang through him, mingling with his pain as he thwarted her venture. There was no fear in her eyes, and that bothered him. He averted his gaze angrily.
"Your father beats you?" she asks.
"Used to. But you don't see me crying about it." In his peripheral vision, Hexus saw the girl look away. A sly plan formed in his mind as he looked back at the girl.
"You know… I could cure him," he told her, his voice softening ever so slightly. Her slate colored eyes rose to meet his unsurely.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her tone guarded.
"I can cure his addiction for you." He spoke seriously, gravely. The girl's strawberry-blonde brows lowered in suspicion.
"Why would a demon help me?" Hexus laughed, letting slip the harshness he usually adds to his voice, turning it golden.
"You know nothing about us," he told her, growing serious again, "I just need a few things from you. A fair exchange." The girl's expression did not change.
"And what would you need?" she asked, her voice low.
"I just need you to bring me food and drink, and let me rest here so I can regain my strength and return to my world," he said.
"How do I know you'll keep your word? How do I know you can actually help my dad?" she challenged. Pain shot through Hexus as his form slowly changed, growing smaller. He continued to shrink, as he became a scraggly fox, its long fur white as snow. The pain subsided now that his form was simpler, natural.
"I can do many things," the fox replied, "And as for my promise, you'll just have to trust me. I really am grateful for the bandaging.” The girl regarded the fox as it sat carefully on its haunches, curling its bushy tail neatly around its paws. She gave a quick nod as she stood, and Hexus catches a look of hope in her eyes before she turned and left the room. A furtive smile spread over the fox's lips as the door closes.
A crash sounded from somewhere in the house, and Hexus grew alert. More crashes followed. The sound of shattering glass, objects being thrown at walls, all of them mingle with incoherent shouts. Hexus was frozen. Was it Cifil, having tracked him down to finish their fight? Hexus knew the angel would not stand for his previous act of cowardice, how he teleported blindly away when the battle turned sour for him. But there was no way Hexus could face her in his current state. It had been far too long since he had returned to Gadorath to give his power respite. He wasn't sure he had the strength even to go back to his world.
The beast's long misshapen ears perked curiously as the commotion continued on the first floor. A female voice could be heard among the clamor, high-pitched and frightened. Hexus slid himself carefully across the floor, maneuvering his back against the wall that was facing the door. The commotion ceased, filling the household with an eerie silence. Cifil appeared to have taken care of that blasted girl.
The creature's ears perked once more as muffled shuffling noises drifted from downstairs. Footsteps sounded softly as someone ascended the steps. Ears flat, muscles tense, Hexus held his monstrous hand at the ready as the talons extended soundlessly. The handle of the door before him turned as the door cracked open. Cursing internally, Hexus relaxed as the rosy-haired girl slid inside the room. Her back was to him as she silently closed the door. Disregarding the beast, the girl turned and sunk to the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms. Her wavy ginger-toned hair fell over her shoulders.
Hexus blinked as an almost awkward silence filled the room. Did she not notice his consciousness? Was she not afraid of him? A small spark of anger flashed through Hexus at the thought. He wasn't used to not being feared by humans.
"He's never hit me before," the girl said softly, halting his thought process. She gave a sniff, swiping her arm under her nose as she sat up straight. Her face was streaked with tearstains, and her right cheek burned an angry red. Hexus didn’t volunteer an interjection, so she continued.
"My dad's an alcoholic. Has been ever since mom left. He's an angry drunk, if you haven't noticed." Her red-rimmed eyes remained fixed on the floorboards as she talked. "But he's never hit me before." She placed her head back in the crook of her elbow. Hexus snorted.
"You seriously think I give a damn?" he growled, his voice hoarse. The girl was silent for a moment.
"No," she murmured, her voice slightly muffled. Hexus rolled his bloodshot eyes. His whole body ached, and he was tempted to shape shift into a simpler form to ease the pain and conserve energy. He ignored the urge and glared at the girl.
"He'll hit you again," he said bluntly, his tone void of compassion. The girl picked her head up to give him a confused look. "You think you're the only one who gets smacked around by your father?" She stared back at him, searching his eyes, her gaze piercingly reading him. An odd feeling rang through him, mingling with his pain as he thwarted her venture. There was no fear in her eyes, and that bothered him. He averted his gaze angrily.
"Your father beats you?" she asks.
"Used to. But you don't see me crying about it." In his peripheral vision, Hexus saw the girl look away. A sly plan formed in his mind as he looked back at the girl.
"You know… I could cure him," he told her, his voice softening ever so slightly. Her slate colored eyes rose to meet his unsurely.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her tone guarded.
"I can cure his addiction for you." He spoke seriously, gravely. The girl's strawberry-blonde brows lowered in suspicion.
"Why would a demon help me?" Hexus laughed, letting slip the harshness he usually adds to his voice, turning it golden.
"You know nothing about us," he told her, growing serious again, "I just need a few things from you. A fair exchange." The girl's expression did not change.
"And what would you need?" she asked, her voice low.
"I just need you to bring me food and drink, and let me rest here so I can regain my strength and return to my world," he said.
"How do I know you'll keep your word? How do I know you can actually help my dad?" she challenged. Pain shot through Hexus as his form slowly changed, growing smaller. He continued to shrink, as he became a scraggly fox, its long fur white as snow. The pain subsided now that his form was simpler, natural.
"I can do many things," the fox replied, "And as for my promise, you'll just have to trust me. I really am grateful for the bandaging.” The girl regarded the fox as it sat carefully on its haunches, curling its bushy tail neatly around its paws. She gave a quick nod as she stood, and Hexus catches a look of hope in her eyes before she turned and left the room. A furtive smile spread over the fox's lips as the door closes.