Blood Prize (Bloody Dance #1) (6 page)

EIGHT

Night came as it always does and somehow my brother had escaped before my parents noticed. I regretted not going with him as I watched my mother pull out board game after board game. SORRY was the flavor of the evening.

I hated this game, I was pretty sure my sister sat the deck. It was why the ones and twos kept coming when it was her turn to draw a card. Any time I made it out of START she would get a SORRY and flick my little green pawn off the board.

The doorbell rang and I jumped up off the floor. My father eyes shifted to me probably wondering if I was waiting for someone. I wasn’t, but anything was better than listening to another ‘You suck’ comment my sister was tossing my way.

“I’ll get it,” I called moving towards the door before anyone else could. The bell rang again before I got to the door. Pulling it open the air sucked out of my lungs. The man on the other side was beautiful. He looked like he belonged in movies and on covers of magazines. People like him didn’t show up at our house in the middle of the night.

There was something about him that screamed dangerous. His eyes held me and I couldn’t move. I could hear my heart racing, I could feel my mouth going dry. He eyes; they were so dark they looked black. I never saw anyone who had black iris. Maybe they were contacts, a lot of people was getting red eyes mocking the supposed demons that were among us.

He couldn’t have been much older than me, late teens to earlier twenties at the most. His hair came to the center of his back. It hung around him like a curtain. He had this smile on his lips. A smile like that promised you pleasure you couldn’t imagine.

“Can I help you?” I found my voice. He was taller than me by a noticeable amount. His shirt was fitted and hinted at the muscles that rested under it. His jeans hung off his hips slightly. There was a ring on a chain around his neck. It was probably my imagination, but I could have swore it glowed softly.

“My car just broke down and my damn cell phone died. Do you mind if I use yours?” He smiled again and I looked at him. Was anyone really that unlucky? It sounded like the opening line of a horror movie. “My name’s Ban, by the way.” He held his hand out to me. I bit my lip but left him hanging.

“Who’s at the door, Zero? It’s your turn.” My mother voice yelled through the house and I turned around to see her coming towards the door. I held the door open a bit more letting her see the handsome stranger. I watched as she ran her fingers through her hair and shifted her bra around. Rolling my eyes was she really trying to pretty herself up for the man.

“This is Ban. His car broke down. He wants to use our phone.” I filled her in on what was going on as she reached the door. She was smiling at Ban and his eyes shifted over her. He gave her a smile. I was sure that smile got him whatever he wanted.

“Don’t be rude, Zero. Let him in.” She said and I frowned. What were we living in the forties? Since when did you just let strangers in your home?

“What about the news? They said strangers could be demons.” It was on CNN even if it sounded like something only crazy people would believe. The government wasn’t laughing at this. They were warning people. They were sending the military in cities. This was serious.

“I’m sorry,” my mother grabbed Ban’s arm pulling him into the door, “my son plays too many video games.” I rolled my eyes as I closed the door behind the handsome stranger. Even if I did play too many, that didn’t change what was going on in the world.

My mother pulled Ban along behind her towards the kitchen. Shaking my head at her I walked back to the living room. My father and sister were still seated on the floor in their spots. I sat down on the floor in front of my green pawns plucking a card from the deck.

“Who was at the door?” My father asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

“Some guy that need the phone. I told mom not to let him in.” Not in that many words but I still warned her that Ban was bad news. Could someone that handsome really be a demon? Where were the horns and evil? I watched TV though. Sometimes demons are the hot guys.

“Was he cute?” my sister asked and I rolled my eyes at her. She was only asking because Father was sitting right there. She knew that he was the only person in the house that didn’t know about my . . . interest in boys. She was trying to be a bitch and out me.

I didn’t say anything and she jumped up from the floor.

“You know you checked him out you little queer.” She moved her hand back and forward away from her mouth. Her tongue pressed against the inside of of her cheek in time with her hand. It was the universal dick sucking motion.

“Amber, we don’t use that word in this house,” Father hissed. She walked away from the living room going to the kitchen to check out the stranger no doubt. I sighed pushing my fingers into my hair. This wasn’t the way that I wanted my father to find out about me.

“There nothing to be ashamed of, son.” My eyes shifted to my father. Who said I was ashamed of it?

“I’m not. I like girls and I like boys. I’m not ashamed of who I am.” I wasn’t. He looked at me for a moment. I could feel his eyes studying me. Was I suddenly different in the eyes of my father because who I choose to take to my bed? Not that I’ve taken many to my bed. Two girls and no guys so far in the sixteen years I’ve been alive.

“Every boy goes through this stage.” Liking guys wasn’t a stage in my life. What was that suppose to mean anyway? Did my father have a gay stage in his life? “Just be happy and be safe, Zero.” He locked eyes with me. His gray eyes holding mine until he smiled rising up from the floor.

“I’m going to see what’s taking them so long.” He walked away and I let out a breath. Looking around, I was alone in the living room. Picking up the cards I started to set the deck. Looking through and replacing the cards so I could turn this losing game into a winning one.

“That’s called cheating.” I jumped at the sound of the stranger’s voice. Turning around Ban was leaning against the door jam between the dining room and the living room.

“Where’s my family?” I stood up thinking the worse. I wasn’t stupid. I wasn’t going to be the idiot that died first in the horror film. He gave me that smile again before and I started towards the kitchen. I had to pass him in order to get here.

When I moved closer to him, he grabbed my arm yanking me to the side he slammed me into the wall. I could hear my heart racing. He was standing so close to me. Now that he was closer he wasn’t as tall as I first thought. Maybe six or seven inches, enough to look down at me. His body was pressed so close to mine. I could feel the heat of his flesh against mine. He held both of my wrist in one of his hand pinning them over my head. I couldn’t deny his strength. Who was this man?

“You’re so adorable. I’m going to save you for last, my sweet little Natsu.” I sucked in a breath at the name he used. He leaned down his tongue running over the side of my face. It sent a shiver down my spine. I should have been scared. Instead pleasure from his tongue rippled through me.

“Let’s play, Ban.” Amber was calling and Ban released me before my family came back into the living room with snacks in tow. I stood against the wall as I watched them clear away SORRY so we could play a game Ban could play as well. They were sitting at the table smiling and laughing. None of them seemed to notice we invited the devil inside.

Springing awake my body ached numbly. My mind cast back to the beating I took. Looking around I didn’t see Ban or Kenji anywhere. I wasn’t in the club anymore. I was in some kind of cell. There was only a bed and toilet in the room with me. I could see a door with bars on the window.

Laying back down I clenched the pillow to my chest. Dante was dead; Aya was most likely dead. Shu, my friend, my brother, was dead. I failed him. I failed Amy and Rai. I failed Kaleb. The pain that I felt matched only that of the lost of my family. Shu was my family.

My lips parted and I howled in pain, in grief, in anger. Curling in on my side I couldn’t stop the screams that ripped through my throat. This pain rippled through my soul. Why? Why me? Why did I keep living as everyone around me died? Why was it only me?

Was this what I wanted so badly? Was this the life that I clung to? One where everyone I love dies and I live on. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want this pain. I didn’t want this life. He could take it back. Ban could take it all back.

He could free me from this pain. I didn’t want it anymore. I wanted to join my family. I wanted to be with Shu and Kaleb. I wanted to see my mother and Amber again. I wanted to talk to my father and my brother. I wanted to fade into the darkness. I wanted the fog to fall over me again. Then I wouldn’t feel anything. The fog didn’t come though. My mind stayed clear.

So I wailed until there was nothing left inside of me. I screamed and cried until my eyes ran dry and my throat was too raw to emit another sound. When I stopped, I sat up. I couldn’t die. Amy and Rai needed me. Right now, the most important thing was getting back to them. It’s what Shu would have wanted from me.

In this cell, I didn’t know how long I was here. How long did I sleep? How long did I scream? It felt like years. I doubt that even I could scream that long. I didn’t even know where I was. Did Ban bring me here or did someone else?

Moving to the door I touched the knob. The black flames of my powers surrounded my hand as the knob fell away and the door swung open. Walking into the hall it looked like some kind of prison. There were cells on both sides of the walls. Most of the ones I peeked into were empty. Some of them held humans who were possessed by demons. The demons all hissed at me moving back. They could feel the power in me.

Holding my hand up a small bird formed from the black flames. It took flight showing me the way out of the maze of cells that were here. We seemed to be underground. I could tell that I each set of stairs the bird found drew me closer to my freedom. Who would bring me here in the first place? What was this place?

There was no sense of time down here, but I guessed it was at least a few hours before I could smell the fresh air. The bird dissipated when it reached a door. I pushed it opened and frowned at the smell of this place. It burned my nose like someone who used too much bleach when cleaning.

My eyes shifted around and I saw I was in some kind of church. That explained the clean smell this place held. There were statutes of the many Gods people seemed to pray to these days. In every room, I walked passed there was someone bowing before one of the statues praying for . . . whatever people prayed for.

I paused at one of the doors I could hear voices inside. Looking through the window there was a group of people gathered. These ones weren’t praying to anyone. They were sitting around talking. I frowned. These were the people that were outside of the club. The pure boy and his friends. Why would a church take in a demon?

“That damn brat demon screamed for three days. I heard him all the way in the dorms. I couldn’t sleep,” a man I never saw before spoke. His voice was rough and annoying. Three days, I needed to hurry up and get home. Amy must have been out of her mind with worry by now. How was I suppose to tell her what happened? How could I look her in the eyes and say all the ways I failed?

“He must have been in great pain,” the pure boy voice was soft just like I imagined it would have been. “He wailed as if his soul was ablaze. I feel so bad for him.” I shut my eyes against his words. I didn’t need his pity.

“He’s a demon, Soji. He doesn’t have a soul.” The one with the rough voice spoke again. He had short brown hair with mud brown eyes. He had to be in his mid to late twenties. He had this entitled air about him. I hated people like that.

“He should be safe to talk to now. He was with three humans in the line. I’m pretty sure they all were Demon Hunters. I want to know if Ban and Kenji were their targets or if it was Maya.” This time it was the woman who had talked to the bouncer that spoke. Why did she want to know about us? Were they there because they knew Ban and Kenji were coming?

“You saw how Ban treated that demon. He even threaten Kenji from hurting him. Ban let him live. Even though he attacked them.” Ban let me live. I suppose Ban could have killed me if he wanted to. Or maybe Ban didn’t see a need to. I would just come back. I wouldn’t die. I couldn’t die.

“Maybe they were lovers. Ban did kiss him.” Ban, my lover? The thought was laughable. Ban thought he owned me. He thought he could do whatever he pleased with me, to me. That wasn’t the case though. I would win sooner or later. I would kill Ban.

“You shouldn’t be here demon.” A voice spoke from behind me. I swore as he sent a bolt of lighting at me. It hit me in the chest sending me through the door and into the room with the others. Today wasn’t my day.

NINE

I slammed against the back wall in the room falling to my knees and shaking my head. I stood up again looking around. My nails started to grow as the others in the room was just starting to rise and react to me coming into the room. Humans were so slow.

Taking advantage of this, I leaped forward grabbing the pure boy. They had called him Soji. He was a white mage. That meant he was probably the most important person in this room. They wouldn’t want anything to happen to him. At the same time him being a white mage meant he was the most dangerous person in this room. I had to take my chances. I had to get home.

One of my hands wrapped around Soji’s waist as the nails on my other hand pressed against his throat. My fangs pushed down from my gums, my golden eyes turning red. I didn’t go full demon on them, but I wanted to look threatening. From the way they were backing away from me I think I had that effect.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I whispered in Soji’s ear. He gave his head a slight nod showing that he understood what I was saying. I could see the panic on the others faces. They didn’t want their white mage to be hurt. If I pulled this off, no one would have to get hurt.

I could hear Soji’s heart racing, I could smell the sweet scent of his blood. It made my stomach ache to be so close to someone so pure. I knew that his blood was the best you could ever have. Untainted by the world around him. It was what demons creamed themselves to get a chance at.

After the beating I took from Ban and Kenji I knew I was going to need to eat soon. I had the best possible source in front of me. I couldn’t make this boy my meal though. He was as innocent as a person could be. Just because Shu was gone didn’t mean everything I learned from him and Kaleb went out the window. If anything it meant more now that I no longer had them. I wanted to honor them now and forever.

“Take your filthy hands off of Soji.” The rough voice idiot demanded me. Soji was my shield. What did he think I was going to do? Say ‘oh gee, I’m sorry.’ I had glared at the man before I leaned over running my tongue up the side of Soji’s face in a Ban like move.

Soji shivered as I licked him. It was the same reaction that I always give to Ban. Soji’s body sank into mine. I didn’t know why but I liked that reaction. He wasn’t scared of me. Normally people would be shaking if they were being held by a demon. Soji seemed at home in my arms.

Looking back at the crowd I could see the anger on the brown-haired man’s face. It made me smile. Maybe it was the demon in me, but pissing him off seemed to give me unlimited joy. Who was he to Soji I wondered? Someone who had a hard on for the boy maybe.

“This is how things are going to work, Shitheads,” I spoke looking around the room making sure my pure shield stayed close to me. “My new pal Soji and I are going to walk out that door and all the other doors until we’re out of this church. You’re going to give me a car and Soji’s going to ride in the front seat with me. The two of us are going to drive off into the sunset. After that Soji’s going to be waiting for you at the first town we pass through and none of you are going to look for me.”

It was that simple. I didn’t want anything to do with these people. They should have left me in the club. I would have gotten up on my own and made my way back to my home. I didn’t need their help. If they wanted their mage to live, they would listen to my demands. As much as I would hate to kill the child I would. In the end, I was still a demon. In the end, I wanted to live.

“We don’t make deals with with demons.” My eyes were still on the woman even though it was the brown hair man that spoke. She was looking at Soji. They would make a deal with me. Otherwise, I would drink their white mage in front of their faces. To make it clear that I wasn’t bluffing, I pressed my nail into Soji’s neck.

He hissed out slightly as the room filled with the overwhelming sweet scent of his blood. It smelled like a field of flowers. My stomach roar and it took every ounce of self-control I had not to lean down and lick away the bead of blood that bubbled from the boy’s neck.

“Enough,” the woman spoke her voice shaking slightly. “You are going to give him back to us.” She was worried that I wasn’t going to keep up my end. I was a demon there was no need for me to hold true to my word. I lost my family. I wasn’t going to take away someone else.

“We still need him. He knows what Ban and Keji are plotting.” I scoffed at that notion. I didn’t have a clue what dumb and dumber was plotting. I don’t know why they were with Maya or what they were doing in that club. The only thing that I’m sure of is that I ruined at least a part of their plan when I killed Maya.

“Soji is more important than any of that.” She turned to me again. Her eyes locking with mine. I tilted my head to the side as I glared back at her. What did she see when she looked at me? Just a demon, or could she tell my life story? “You are the worse kind of demon. To hide behind Soji like some kind of coward.”

“Cowardice? I call it inventive thinking.” I needed to get out of here and the pure boy was my ticket back to Amy and Rai. Someone had to make it back to them. Someone had to tell them that Shu wasn’t coming home. I shook my head shaking those thoughts away.

The woman took a step back and the others that were in the room followed her lead. They opened up a hole so that I could walk through it. I held Soji tighter to me making sure that if they attacked me I would at least kill the boy before they took me down.

We walked our steps were slow as we backed out towards the door. In the hallway, I saw the last boy that was at the club with Soji and the woman. He was the one that blasted me through the door. He didn’t look at me. He was looking at Soji. I watched as the white mage gave his head a small nod. My fingers dug in again slightly. I wanted to discourage any foolish acts of bravery.

If he were still and quiet, we both would be back in our bed by this time tomorrow. There were people filling the halls. They were all watching as they stood in the doorway. I could see the group that had been in the room with us following. I walked backward keeping my eyes on the woman that seemed to be the leader of this group.

The third eye was opened on my head. It gave me a three-hundred and sixty degree of the people around me. Even though, my back was to the door I would be walking out of I could still see it with the third eye. None of them were going to be sneaking up on me thinking that they could ruin the one chance that I had at freedom.

The doors were opened for me as I backed out of them. I could see a car pulling up. The driver got out of it walking away from the car as I pulled Soji down the stairs towards the car with me. The whole group had come out of the doors behind us. They stopped on the stairs glaring down at us as I reached the car.

Pulling it open I slide inside pulling Soji in with me. I climbed over to the driver seat looking over at the white mage. For someone who was being kidnaped he didn’t look the part. There was no fear in him. He was smiling and even waved at the group that was on the steps. Who was this boy? I frowned but threw the car into drive and took off away from the group of holy rollers and their church.

Soji was asleep in the passenger seat when I made it to the first town. Linkenwood was a nine hour drive away from Hollden. Nine hours away from home. Now that I was so close I didn’t even know if I had it in me to make home. What would Amy think? What would Rai do? They would hate me. Both of them would finally see me for the demon that I really was.

My eyes shifted to the sleeping boy. He was so . . . Carefree. How could he just fall to sleep in the car with me? Did he not think I was going to hurt him? Why would he put so much trust in me? I frowned as I reached out pushing his hair from his face. Why did I feel so . . . Familiar with him? It felt as if something inside of my soul knew him.

Soji stirred at my touch. He sat up straighter in the car looking around. I watched as he rubbed at his eyes before looking over at me. He smiled and it was a completely different smile then Ban had ever given me. This smile spoke to the pure innocence that filled him. It made my breath catch.

“How long was I asleep?” He asked covering his mouth as he yawned. He stretched out his arms his fingers pressing against the ceiling in the car as he tried the best he could to shake out his limbs. I found myself thinking about how beautiful he was. A beauty that could be place next to Ban and hold it’s own. That was rare within itself.

The car was stopped at a Bounty Hunter bar. If he wanted to actually shake out his limbs, he could do that. I unclicked my seat-belt as he looked out the window. I could see his frown from the reflection in the window.

“First day free and you want to get drunk?” He asked looking back at me. Why was there so much judgment in his voice. What was wrong with having a drink? He was still young, he was so innocent. He probably never drank anything stronger than coffee a day in his life.

Why was that so . . . Appealing? Maybe it was the demon in me. It made me want to grab him and see how much bad was actually inside of this pure boy. It made me want to taint the innocence that wrapped around him. Of course in the end, I would keep my hands to myself. He was a white mage. The world needed more people like him.

“It’s a Bounty Hunter bar. I’m shopping.” I needed someone to hunt. I had to get something to eat or Soji was going to start looking like a juicy burger and fries. He was already the preferred meal of the day. That didn’t mean I could have a sample.

Getting out of the car I walked into the bar with Soji on my heels. I could feel the eyes on us, but I ignored them all as I looked at the board. Closing my eyes, I waved my hand in front of the pictures. I didn’t care about the money. I wanted to find someone that was in this town.

It only took a moment for one of the pages to float of the board. Reaching down I picked it up looking at the picture. It was a bear of a man worth ten thousand credits. It wasn’t going to be any big haul, but it will get me a meal and gas to make it home.

Reaching into my pocket I could feel the horn from Maya. I was happy that they hadn’t stolen it from me. The only thing that I lost was my music. No, I lost something more important than music. Shu was gone. I squeezed my eyes shut against my grief. For now I just had to make it back to Amy and Rai.

“This is where we part ways.” I turned around to look at Soji. He was looking up at me. I noticed that I was taller than him. Our height difference was probably the same between me and Ban. Only in this case I was the tall one. In this case, I was the demon. I licked my lips as he chewed on his bottom lip.

His eyes held this look in them that I couldn’t read. The feeling that I saw him before passed over me again. When he looked at me, it was as if he was looking through me. As if he somehow saw me at my darkest moment and brought me into the light. No one but Kaleb has ever done that for me.

Soji was just a child as well. Maybe I felt this way towards him because he was light and I was darkness. Maybe the tiny part of me that was still human wanted his light. My fingers reached out brushing his hair behind his ear. He only smiled at me. His smile . . . It was breathtaking.

“Give me one second.” He held up his finger he backed away from me. Why was I giving him any seconds? Why did he need a second? I watched as he went over to the bartender. He had whispered something into the man’s ear before he was allowed to use the bar’s phone. What was he doing?

Whoever he called only talked to him for the better half of three minutes before he walked back over to me. His smile was still on his face if not brighter than before. Why did I feel like I saw that smile before? Most of the years, I’ve been a demon I lived in a fog. Did I meet him before? He was just a child though. He wasn’t a demon. He was human, he was a white mage. It was impossible for me to know him.

Maybe I met someone pure while I was in my fog. Maybe that was why Soji reminded me of someone that I knew a long time ago. Two hundred years was a long time to be alive. Most of my memories were only of the hunger that I felt. In my moments of clarity, Ban was the only thing that was there. There was never anyone good until Kaleb. There was never a Soji.

“I’m all yours.” How could he say that with a smile? Did he know what it meant to say those words to a demon. No, he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t ask your name. I’m Soji.” He offered me his hand. His tiny fingers outstretched as they waited for me to grasp them.

“Zero,” I answered taking his hand. He was warm. Touching him felt . . . Good. As if he was stirring the soul inside of me. Did I even have a soul? I was a demon, I was pretty sure you lost things like a soul when you die. Or maybe I did have a soul. My soul was tiny and hidden in the darkness that rested inside of me. Maybe Soji touch showed my soul that light still existed in this world.

“Ban called you, Natsu.” He said and I frowned at the name. Ban always called me Natsu. I didn’t know who Natsu was. Maybe it was someone Ban knew long before me. It was annoying. He was always saying that name. He whispered it to me doing the times we were alone. He made it penetrate my mind. As if he could force the name into my heart. I rejected the name Natsu just as forcefully as I reject Ban. I wasn’t Natsu, I’m only Zero.

“I’m Zero.” I repeated walking away from the bar and down the street. Balling up the page that held the outlaw I was hunting the closer I got to him the warmer the page grew. The whole time we walked Soji kept up a happy never ending line of chatter. He talked about everything from his dislike of milk to why he thinks there’s life on other planets.

It was so different than what I was used to. Normally everyone was quite. When I went to look for outlaws, I was always alone. I didn’t have my earplugs to block him out. I was reaching my breaking point. I had half a mind to reach over and drink him. That would be one way to get him to shut up.

Reaching out I grabbed Soji by the collar. I slammed him into the wall of the alley we had ventured down. He stopped talking as he looked up into my eyes. Blue eyes so bright and clear held my golden ones. I didn’t see any fear in him.