Chapter 4: A New Housemate

"From now on, I'm going to live here with you." Aleister declared as he sat opposite her on the breakfast table.

The demon had suddenly popped back in after three days at four in the morning. He caused quite a ruckus downstairs that Ruby thought that he was a thief, so she went down only in her lavender slip with black laces and nearly sliced him with her scythe but he blocked the blade with his bare hand while eating a leftover sandwich, unfazed by her sudden attack.

"I thought that you're never going to come near me again and what happened to your quest? I thought that you were going to the Chasm." Ruby questioned looking at him with distaste while crossing her arms.

"I didn't really want to go back to your rickety house but every time I try to leave this territory I always feel a strong force pulling me back. Yesterday I was sleep-flying and I was heading back here so I guessed that because you summoned me something must be anchoring me back to you. You are also responsible if I somehow cause a big mess since you were the one that summoned me so you don't really have a choice in this." Aleister reasoned making the witch scoff.

"And your certificate of responsibility is right here." Aleister poked the symbol on her chest making the witch scowl and slap his hand away.

"Basically, it still means that I have dominion over you and that you can't hurt me in any way. Therefore..."

"You're now my slave and I'm your mistress." Ruby concluded grinning at him widely. She's no longer afraid of him now that she knows that she can bend him to her every whim and want. Maybe things won't be so bad after all.

"Don't be too confident. I'm still a Prince of Inferno so it would do you well to know your place, witch." The demon warned darkly which didn't intimidate Ruby the slightest because of her new found power.

"Sure sure. You can stay but only until I figure out a way to unbind us. I wouldn't want the Sabbath Ministry finding out that I summoned a demon and banishing me to the infernal circles."

"Great, now where's my room?"

"You can stay in the guest room for a while. Just keep it clean and don't make too much noise. Don't go to my workshop and interrupt me when I conjure." Ruby ordered setting the ground rules.

"But you don't even have neighbors, the nearest village was a ten-minute flight or with your short legs about one hour." reasoned the demon.

"It was only a 25-minute walk actually and I'm going back to bed. It's five in the fucking morning. Go to sleep or whatever but just keep it quiet." Ruby left the demon to his own devices and returned back to her room to continue with her much needed sleep.

"Nothing left to do but dream." The witch tucked herself in her white wolf fur comforter and hugged her ice bear stuffed toy to her chest. A soft smile graced her pink lips as she enjoyed the comforts of her quiet life.

"Little witch! Little fat witch! Little witch!" Aleister called knocking relentlessly on her door. Ruby's eyes opened and she frowned wanting to murder someone. She instantly got out of bed and stormed to open her door.

"What the hell do you want?!" she screamed at the demon while a purple fire went up her head, literally.

"Wow, you're not flammable. Anyways, I just want to tell you that there's a man wearing black knocking outside your door. I don't like his face so can you get rid of him immediately." Aleister informed. A slap suddenly collided with his face leaving him dumbfounded.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"If you ever call me fat again I'm going to destroy you. Remember that you are under my roof and I'm feeding you from my hard-earned labor so if you don't want to live in the woods, you better watch your mouth about calling me fat." Ruby threatened in a low terrifying tone.

"Fine, I guess you're just a plus size." Aleister concluded before entering the room opposite of Ruby's.

Ruby immediately went downstairs to check out who the demon was referring to. This one must be a really desperate customer to be going in the woods this early. What horrible story could he possibly have to brave the dangers of the forest? Ruby opened the door only to reveal a tall man wearing a black coat carrying a gun and a suitcase case which probably carries his other guns and weapons. The witch's eyes widened due to her unexpected visitor but she immediately composed herself and gave him a sweet smile.

"Good morning, Granger. How may I help you?"

Phoebus Granger is a well-known marksman and an incredible demon hunter, if he went all the way here then he must be after Aleister. Ruby cursed the demon for not making sure to cover his trail. How reckless can he be to allow himself to be spotted by a demon hunter heading to the forest? If bad comes to worse she'll get involved in all of this and she might even be forced to hurt Phoebus, which is such a shame since he's one of the few people that Ruby can tolerate.

"I apologize for disturbing you so early in the morning Miss Butterfly but my friend Heriette had been bitten by a poisonous naga during a mission and none of the physicians or apothecaries in the town knows how to deal with such venom so I was wondering if you could help her out." Phoebus answered.

Ahh, well much better. She sighed internally before speaking.

"Uhm, why are you averting your eyes from me?" Ruby asked in curiosity, raising a brow.

"I don't mean to be rude but you're only wearing a slip and I figured that you wouldn't want me staring at your body while it's quite exposed." explained the marksman. A blush suddenly colored the girl's pale cheeks due to her forgetfulness.

"Let me just change and get a few of my stuff for snake venom and I'll see what I can do."

"I'm sorry but there's no time for a dress-up just get your things and let's go now. Heriette is dying!" Granger said in what would be frantic for him but for Ruby it was a slight rise in his tone in his monotonous baritone voice.

"Fine." the witch snapped her fingers and a basket instantly appeared out of nowhere. "I'm ready. Do we walk or what?"

"I have a horse. And here, wear this." Phoebus took off his coat and wrapped it on the witch's shoulder.

"Oh thanks." she mumbled before following after the marksman towards a black stallion. Phoebus gestured for her to climb up the horse and Ruby stepped on the foothold but found herself unable to mount the horse due to its incredible height.

"Uhm, I'm kind of short." she whispered shyly to the marksman.

Phoebus suddenly grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up on the horse saddle in one quick lift as if she weighed nothing. He immediately climbed behind her before putting his hands around her waist to grab the reins and keep her from falling off the horse. The marksman whipped the reins making the horse gallop. Ruby was thrown back a little making her back collide with the sturdy chest of the demon hunter who seemed unfazed by it. By now, the blush on the witch's cheeks reached the peak of its redness.

She had always harbored a huge crush on Phoebus because he was so cool and so smooth and so manly. Being a witch living alone in the forest, Ruby would often get scornful looks and disapproving remarks every time she descends to town. She had learned to block out their antics but one time this man was really drunk and really violent he wanted to beat her up because he thought that Ruby hexed his wife to cheat with another man but Phoebus was there to defend her. She didn't really need his help since she's also proficient in hand to hand combat and she could easily end the man with a flick of her finger, but it was nice to be saved for a change by a dashing soldier. She guessed that that was the trigger that sparked her affection for him or was it the fact that he always treats her fairly like she was a noble lady and not a hex-making witch.

Ruby melted into Phoebus' warmth, relishing in his comfort while it lasted. Right now is a dream come true and if this is really a dream, then she never wants to wake up.

"Hold on tight Miss Butterfly. We're going top speed so this will be a rough ride." Ruby grinned.

"I love rough rides."