04. Demon

Shandra finally manages to make a move: she slowly gets up from the bed, and with slow tortoise-like steps, slowly approaches the unimaginable demonic figure in front of her.

The tiny firefly-like embers are still around him, and delighted and amazed, the girl realizes that none of them fall to the ground or even come close to burning the floor.

Sam seems to be proud of himself to see the young girl's reaction. Then he makes the wings and horns disappear, returning to the inside of the back and head. The eyes also take on their ordinary appearance again.

"My goodness," she says, assessing the man from head to toe. There is still awe in her attitude, but also genuine admiration.

"Are you really as surprised as you appear?"

"I am. You're not very good at detecting emotions, are you?"

"Only the most primitive ones. Fear. Hatred. Anger. Passion."

He says the last word lewdly and purposefully provocatively, blinking one of his eyes. The girl instantly turns red.

Sam ignores the girl's wave of embarrassment and stands up. She can't stop staring at her defined abdomen, nor at her strong, slender chest.

"How did you get the medallion?"

The girl looks at the brass-colored pendant.

"I bought it on the Internet."

Silence.

"Oh."

She moves closer to the magnificent body of the demon, who now appears to be just a human quite dedicated to training at the gym. He is much taller than she is. He must be at least six feet tall.

"Most of the rituals I do are just to pass the time, only. I never imagined that..."

She stops talking, engrossed, surrounding Sam as if he were a mannequin. He doesn't seem offended at all.

She continues:

"Now that you are here, what are you going to do?"

The demon shrugs.

"You want me to get rid of your enemies and seek the revenge you need. I have already sent those men from earlier to the flames of the underworld, where they will be tortured eternally. Who else do you want me to send there?"

It was so strange to see that imposing and even polished man speak in that calm way about torture and eternal damnation.

Shandra immediately thinks of Sasha Royal. Would it be very mean of her if she literally sent her to hell?

Well, she had to think about it still.

"I... I'm not sure."

"What ails you?"

Stopping around Sam, the girl feels the sadness coming back with everything as she looks down, feeling defeated.

"Besides the near-death experience earlier? Everything. Today was the worst day of my life."

Curiosity flashes in the man's reddish-orange eyes.

"Does this have to do with that boyfriend of yours?"

That catches the girl's attention almost immediately.

"Do you know him?"

He makes a dismissive sign.

"I've been watching you for months, remember? I know all about you and what you've been up to lately."

The thought of having a demon by her side all the time without her being able to see makes Shandra apprehensive.

"But... What exactly did you observe?"

His viperine smile would be enough to get her message across, but Sam delighted in verbalizing it in detail:

"Well, let's see... I saw most of your arguments with that girl at your school, the runs you used to take to skip class, the day you drank hiding from everyone and threw up, the time you stole money from your mother-"

"Okay, okay. I get it. You really have seen it all."

"But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet!"

"What best part?"

"The parts that really interested me, of course."

She raises one of her eyebrows, silently asking for clarification. However, she regrets it immediately afterwards.

Putting his hands in his pockets and assuming a more arrogant posture, he puts his head to one side as he faces her and continues talking about his Observations.

"I'd watch his escapades with his little boyfriend. The way his hands touched you, and how you touched him."

Immediately Shandra puts both hands to her face, feeling the redness return with everything on her cheeks. Sam continues, looking even more excited to tell:

"I've seen you in the shower too. It's a very interesting sight, I must admit. Even more so when you get excited and start to se-"

"Enough."

The girl sits down on the bed, her hands still hiding her flushed face.

Sam gives a sarcastic laugh, and between the lines, it is possible to hear the terrible, demonic, monstrous voice. This attracts the attention of the girl, who, although embarrassed, raises her face to see him.

The demon comes towards her with deliberately slow steps.

Then he holds her chin, his fingers thick and strong as steel could break her at any moment.

"Why are you ashamed? There is no reason for dishonor in pleasure."

Sam whispers in her ear:

"It is in the forbidden that lies the greatest of desires, the greatest of strengths, and the inexhaustible source of lust."

Shivers take over Shandra's back, arms, and legs, as does a slight tremor. The man sniffs once and growls, once again looking more demonic than ever.

"See, that's what I'm talking about. The smell you exude while being that way is a real feast for my sense of smell."

Still nervous, she stutters as she asks:

"So besides giving me the revenge I want, you also enjoy smelling me?"

"Oh, Shandra, I like many things about you."

And before the girl can do anything, she feels sharp canines rubbing the skin of her neck. It is a provocative, defiant, and completely dominant gesture. It seems that Sam wants to attest to something with that movement.

Shandra is about to say something to the sexy and seemingly territorial man when the bedroom door is violently slammed, almost coming off the latches.

A deep, husky, masculine voice sounds as the pounding continues:

"OPEN THAT DOOR, YOU UNGRATEFUL, WRETCHED DAUGHTER. I'LL GIVE YOU A BEATING YOU'LL NEVER FORGET."

It was her father.